Allotment holders in Hartlepool are being warned they could lose their plots if they burn garden waste.
Cleveland Fire Brigade said the fires were a drain on resources and its officers had to tackle seven blazes which got out of control last year.
Hartlepool Council is reminding allotment holders that bonfires can only be lit in the last week of March and the first two weeks of November.
It is joining forces with police and the fire brigade to tackle the problem.
Helen Beaman, senior environment officer for the council, said: "A lot of allotment sites are close to residential areas so fires can have serious implications for health, particularly to children suffering from respiratory conditions such as asthma."
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