When the season changes to autumn in Alberta, many property owners begin collecting leaves on their lawns. Once all your leaf piles are collected, what do you do with them? There is one activity you should never entertain when deciding what to do with the leaves — burning. Burning the leaves on your property can cause health problems, lead to fires, and even get you in trouble with the law. It's a huge no-no! Instead, hire a professional team to complete a leaf removal service! It's the best way to get rid of the leaves without you needing to waste time and energy raking the leaves yourself. Keep reading to learn more about why you shouldn't burn leaf piles!

Burning leaf piles can affect your health.

Getting rid of the leaf piles on your lawn can rapidly rise to the top of your fall to-do list. However, burning the piles is never a good way to eliminate leaves. The fumes released when the leaves burn contain irritants that can cause respiratory issues among different people.

The burning leaves create smoke, soot, and small particles that can infiltrate a person's lungs causing several symptoms. A few health issues that can start after inhaling the smoke include a cough, asthma attack, shortness of breath, and chest congestion.

A burning leaf pile can start a fire elsewhere.

Fire coming from a leaf pile in Aspen Woods, AB.

In Alberta, about 62% of wildfires in 2021 were caused by human activity. Given how unique Alberta's wilderness is, we must protect our community by not creating fire hazards. When you burn leaves, you put more than your health in danger. Embers and leaves from the flames can blow away and start a fire at a neighbour's property or in a forest, bringing drastic consequences to our province. To help our local firefighters battle fewer fires, let's act considerately and use other alternatives to leaf burning!

About 61% of Alberta is covered in forests!

Burning leaf piles requires a permit in many places, including Calgary.

Burning the leaf piles on your lawn can create many adverse effects. Most people mean no harm when they do it; however, because the activity is a fire hazard and a health concern, many governments declared it illegal. In Calgary, and other areas in Alberta, property owners can't burn leaves without a permit.

This is because open burning can release several irritants, pollutants, and toxins into the air all the while potentially starting forest fires. Any unauthorized burning is prohibited and can lead to repercussions.

Consider an alternative to leaf burning, such as scheduling a leaf removal service!

Leaf pile with rake in Langdon, AB.

Burning the leaf piles on your lawn can appeal to busy property owners looking for a quick, efficient strategy. However, the side effects aren't worth it! The easiest alternative to burning is to schedule a leaf removal service to rid your property of leaves.

During the service, professionals remove the leaves off your property to prevent the dark, moist areas underneath from attracting insects, causing lawn disease, and blocking resources from reaching your turf. Here's a bonus: you save yourself the hassle of having to clean up your lawn yourself!

Call us today to schedule our leaf removal service!

In Alberta, leaves are plentiful, so you'll eventually have to clean them up. It's important to know that burning the piles on your lawn will always be a bad idea! Instead, call us at (403) 250-8464 to schedule our leaf removal service! At Prestige Outdoor Services, we offer the service as part of our fall cleanup, which also includes debris removal, lawn mowing, and string trimming. We service Calgary, Airdrie, Chestermere, and other nearby areas in Alberta.