Brush Burning And Burning Permit Information

Burning Season Runs January 15 to May 1st

Permit applications are open

No burning until January 15th!

 

Open Burning Requirements & Responsibilities

OPEN BURNING PERMIT APPLICATION

Open burning under poor atmospheric conditions can create a smoke nuisance, aggravate health and respiratory conditions. If not done properly and controlled, it can also endanger life, real property, and woodlands. For these reasons, open burning is closely regulated in Massachusetts by multiple regulatory organizations.

You must obtain a PERMIT for any open burning from the Northborough Fire Department, 11 Pierce Street. There is no charge for the burning permit.

Burning rules include:

Brush, cane, driftwood, forestry debris, agriculture-related materials, agricultural land clearing only. A form of extinguishment such as a garden hose has to be within reach in order to burn and the fire must be attended at all times. Fungus-infected elm-wood are allowed under the following conditions:

  1. Burning must be at least 75 feet from any dwellings.
  2. Burning must be carried out between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily.
  3. Burning must take place on land closest to the source of the material to be burned.

Burning of the following materials is prohibited and may subject you to revocation of your permit and/or a fine:

  • Grass, hay, leaves, and stumps
  • Tires
  • Construction materials and lumber
  • Stacking, placing, or storing combustible material such that the department may presume that it will be burned.
  • Failure to obtain a burning permit.
  • Failure to fully extinguish the fire by 4 p.m. daily.
  • Failure to control/contain the fire.

EACH day of burning, you must email or call (508) 393-1537 between 9:15 A.M. and noon on the day you wish to burn

  • If emailing type in the subject line your address and phone number. Please allow 10 to 15 minutes for an auto response letting you know if it is acceptable to burn for the day.
  • ***Please note that you must provide this information in the subject line for your permit to be valid***

The Fire Chief maintains the right to revoke any permits or to cancel any permits due to high forest fire danger or to deny a permit to any person who he believes will not follow the Open Burning Requirements and Responsibilities or to any person who has violated these requirements in the past.

Whoever violates any provision of 527 CMR 10.22 shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500 plus the cost of suppression or by imprisonment for not more than one month.