Open Burning 2023

Please read all the following information!

Open burning season runs from January 15 to May 1. Burning is allowed daily from 10 am to 4 pm. Burning is for tree or forestry debris. Leaves cannot be burned. Fires must be tended at all times, at least 75 ft from any dwelling, and a charged hose must be present. Call the Fire Department each day burning is to be done at 978-774-2424.

To register for the 2023 Open Burn Season, follow these steps:

  1. Complete the Fire Department Permit Form.
  2. Pay the $10 fee. Stripe will email a receipt of payment to you, or you may print your receipt after payment has processed.
  3. Your burn number is the permit number listed at the top left corner of the permit page. 

On the days you are requesting permission to burn:

  1. Call Dispatch at 978-774-2424 to receive burn approval for the day. Approval will be based on weather conditions.
  2. Give Dispatch the name of the person conducting burning, phone number and address and permit number.

Safety Tips for Open Burning Season

With A Permit, Burning of the Following Materials Is Allowed

  • Brush, cane, driftwood, and forestry debris from other than commercial or industrial land clearing operations
  • Materials normally associated with the pursuit of agriculture such as, fruit tree prunings, dead raspberry stalks, blueberry patches for pruning purposes, and infected beehives for disease control.
  • Trees and brush resulting from agricultural land clearing.
  • Fungus infected elm wood if no other acceptable means of disposal is available.

Burning of the Following Materials Is Prohibited Statewide

  • Brush, trees, cane and driftwood from commercial and/or industrial land clearing operations.
  • Grass, hay, leaves and stumps, and tires.
  • Construction material and debris

A Permit is Required from Local Fire Warden/Fire Chief

A permit must be obtained from the local fire warden, usually the local fire chief. Weather conditions can change rapidly, especially in the spring, and fire wardens will determine on a daily basis when it is safe to conduct open burning. If winds kick up or other atmospheric conditions change suddenly, making it unsafe to burn, permits can be rescinded (cancelled).

The open burning must be a minimum of 75 feet from all buildings and must be conducted between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm and must take place on the land closest to the source of material to be burned, according to Department of Environmental Protection regulations (310 CMR DEP 7.07).

People conducting illegal burning, or who allow a fire to get out of control, may be held liable for costs of extinguishing a fire, fined, and even imprisoned (MGL c.48 s.13).