About Burn Permits
Any resident or individual seeking to burn on the residential property where he or she resides, must have a valid, signed permit from the office of the fire marshal. Burning is allowed on residential property only. Residential property is defined as property that is used exclusively for residential purposes, consisting of one to four dwelling units. Burning on property not zoned or classified as residential is prohibited. The permit does not relieve the permittee of any legal liability, which may be incurred as a result of the fire.
Open burning is limited to the burning of brush only. Brush is defined as shrubs, vegetation or prunings, the diameter of which is not greater than three inches at the widest point. Leaves and grass are not considered brush. Open burning is not allowed for the purpose of clearing land, or for the disposal of construction debris, household trash, or leaves.
All reasonable safety precautions are to be taken including but not limited to:
Clearing of grass and trees from the burning area.
Wetting down of the surrounding area.
Placement of fire extinguishers and hose lines.
Prior to Burning
All reasonable measures to assure complete combustion and reduce excessive smoke are to be taken.
At no time during the burn should the fire be left unattended.
The permit must be available on site during the burn.
Burning may not create a nuisance to nearby properties.
Burning may only be conducted between the hours of 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM on a sunny or partly sunny day with the wind speed between 5 and 15 miles per hour.
During the Burn
The burn pile must be completely extinguished by 5:00 PM.
All embers and coals must be extinguished and wetted, so as to prevent smoldering and fugitive ash emissions.
Failure to adhere to the conditions of the permit may result in penalties and/or enforcement actions. There may be additional requirements or special conditions applied to your open burning permit by the local Open Burning Official.
After the Burn
Open burning is not allowed to clear land prior to construction activities or as a means to dispose of construction debris, household trash, or leaves. If the Air Quality Index (AQI) is forecasted to be 100 or higher anywhere in the state or if the Forest Fire Danger Index is rated High, Very High, or Extreme burning is prohibited. Also, if national or state ambient air quality standards may be exceeded, if a hazardous health condition might be created, if there is an advisory from DEEP of any air pollution episode, or where prohibited by an ordinance of the municipality burring is or prohibited.
Burning may be dictated by any member of the town Fire Marshal's office, Officer of the Fire Department, designated Municipal Official responsible for enforcing the open burning laws and ordinances, or any official of the Health Department or DEEP.