Massachusetts has had an unprecedented fall fire season and as wildfires rage in California, Baystate officials are now urging residents to protect themselves along with their communities by following local and state restrictions on open burning.

Open burning season officially kicked off for January 15th of 2025 and a permit from your local fire department is always required in advance if your community allows it as well as being your responsibility to be able to extinguish the fire if things get out of control at moment's notice.

As you know from last Fall, residents across Massachusetts saw just how quickly outdoor fires can get out of control when not probably cared for. California on the other hand is a whole different story.

Burning weeds in the fields Is one of the causes of pollution smoke
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According to Mass.gov, there are certain communities in Massachusetts however where open burning is illegal all year around and permits will not be issued which includes:

  1. Arlington
  2. Belmont
  3. Boston
  4. Brookline
  5. Cambridge
  6. Chelsea
  7. Chicopee
  8. Everett
  9. Fall River
  10. Holyoke
  11. Lawrence
  12. Lowell
  13. Malden
  14. Medford
  15. New Bedford
  16. Newton
  17. Somerville
  18. Springfield
  19. Waltham
  20. Watertown
  21. West Springfield
  22. Worcester

“For two years in a row, Massachusetts residents have lost their lives when they couldn’t contain their fires – please make safety your priority when burning.” - State Fire Marshal Davine

 

“Open burning is limited to protect public health and public safety, The governing laws and regulations are in place to reduce air pollution, property damage, and personal injury. If open burning is allowed in your community, please follow the local and state guidance to keep yourself, your neighbors, and our environment safe.” - MassDEP Commissioner Heiple

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Open burning may only be conducted:

  • With a permit issued in advance by the local fire department;
  • Between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm;
  • At least 75 feet from all dwellings and without causing a nuisance;
  • As close as possible to the source of material being burned; and
  • When it will not cause or contribute to a condition of air pollution.

Persons who burn unlawfully or allow a fire to grow out of control could be held liable for firefighting costs or face fines or even jail time.

Open Burning Safety

  • An adult should tend to the fire at all times and keep tools to extinguish it close by.
  • Burn small amounts at a time.
  • Never use gasoline, kerosene, or other accelerants to start the fire.
  • Don't wait for the fire department to tell you that it has become unsafe to burn: put the fire out if winds pick up or the weather changes. Most fires get out of control during sudden wind changes.
  • If the fire gets out of control, call 9-1-1 right away.

Open burning season runs from January 15 through May 1 and residents are only limited to burning materials such as brush, cane, driftwood, residential forestry debris, fruit tree and bush prunings, raspberry stalks, infected bee hives, trees and brush from agricultural land clearing, and fungus-infected elm wood if no other acceptable means of disposal is available.

It is however illegal to burn leaves, grass, hay, stumps, tires, household trash, construction materials, demolition debris, or brush, trees, cane, or driftwood from commercial or industrial land clearing.

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