FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — The City of Fort Wayne has begun its annual leaf collection program, with crews starting in north-side neighborhoods this week. The Street Department will collect leaves across more than 400 neighborhoods through Dec. 19. Weather conditions and the volume of leaves in cer tain areas could cause schedule changes. Residents can check daily updates before 3 p.m. at cityoffortwayne.org/leaves. Updates will also identify the neighborhoods scheduled for collection the following day. Residents can also call 260-427-2603 for recorded updates. The 2026 collection schedule is as follows: North neighborhoods: Nov. 2-7 and Nov. 30-Dec. 5 Central neighborhoods: Nov. 9-14 and Dec. 7-12 South neighborhoods: Nov. 16-21 and Dec. 14-19 Crews will collect leaves on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, but collection will pause Nov. 26-27 for Thanksgiving. Nov. 23-25 has been reserved for catching up on weather-related delays. Residents should rake leaves to the park strip by 7 a.m. on the first day of the scheduled collection week. Leaves should not be placed in the street, in or over storm drains, or in trash and recycling carts. Burning leaves is also prohibited under city code and can result in a fine. The city also reminds parents to keep children from playing in leaf piles near the street for safety reasons. Residents who prefer not to wait for their neighborhood’s scheduled collection can use biodegradable bags. Bagged leaves must be placed at the curb before calling 311 to schedule a pickup. Bagged leaf collection will continue through the end of 2026, weather permitting. Last year, city crews collected 17,110 bags of leaves and hauled away 4,399 truckloads. The Street Department plans to announce two additional weeks of bagged leaf collection in March 2027. The post Fort Wayne kicks off annual leaf collection in north neighborhoods appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less