ANSWERS TO YOUR OPEN BURNING QUESTIONS
What Should I Know About Open Burning In Massachusetts?
If You're like most Bay Staters, you will spend a lot of your time each spring preparing your lawn and garden for the warm months ahead. A big part of your job will be cleaning up tree limbs, brush and other remnants or winter storms, and figuring out what to do with all that debris.
Burning might be the first thing that comes to your mind. While it is still allowed in most Massachusetts towns and cities, open burning has its distinct disadvantages. The combustion process releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, other gases and solid substances directly into the air we breathe. And, disposal of materials is never as good for the environment as using them again in a different form. Natural debris can be chipped or composted into landscaping material.
Still, there are times when open burning is the best or only option. Even then, there are limits on what can be burned and when, as well as important public health and safety requirements.
Why Are There Limits On Open Burning In Massachusetts?
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and your local fire department limit open burning for public health and safety reasons. Open burning pollutes the air and can make it difficulty for people when respiratory problems to breathe. When the air is stagnant, open burning can pose smoke and odor nuisances, and health risks to nearby residents, particularly in densely populated areas. Open burning can also pose a safety risk when it is not adequately controlled. The limits on open burning do not apply to outdoor cooking.
What Can Be Burned and Under What Conditions?
You may burn, with limits:
Brush
Cane
Driftwood
Forestry Debris
Tree Pruning
Dead Raspberry Stalks
Blueberry Patches
Infected Beehives
You May Not Burn:
Grass
Hay
Leaves
Stumps
Tires
In most of the state's towns and cities, homeowners are allowed to this debris between January 15 and May 1, so long as the open burning takes place:
With the permission of the local fire Department;
between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
when the air is circulating well but winds are light;
no less than 75 feet away from all dwellings; and
on your own property and as close as possible to the source of material(s) to be burned.
Be sure to get a permit from your local fire department before burning anything.
What Other Types of Outdoor Fires are Allowed?
With the fire department's approval and supervision, a community may schedule Christmas tree burning between December 26 and January 7 (although recycling trees by chipping then into landscaping material or "planting" them in dunes to control beach erosion is more beneficial to the environment);
one ceremonial bonfire each year to observe a municipal, state or national event; and a bonfire between July 2 and July 6 in observance Independence Day.
Outdoor cooking is allowed year-round in all communities and is not subject to open burning limits. With specific approval from DEP, local fire departments may also stage outdoor fires for purposes of fire prevention research and training.
What Types of Open Burning Are Not Allowed?
There are no circumstances under which it is legal to burn grass, hay, leaves, stumps or tires. They simply do not burn as "clearly" as those materials that may legally be burned. All of them produce acrid smoke that causes nuisance conditions and threatens people's health. When tires are burned, they produce noxious gases and petroleum residue, both of which can be harmful to people and the environment. In addition , the burning of brush, cane, driftwood and forestry debris from commercial or industrial land clearing is prohibited statewide.
Are There Any Communities In Which Open Burning Is Not Allowed At All?
Yes. Open burning is prohibited in 22 of the state's largest cities and town due to the density of population and close proximity of buildings within their borders:
Arlington
Belmont
Boston
Brookline
Cambridge
Chelsea
Chicopee
Everett
Fall River
Holyoke
Lawrence
Lowell
Malden
Medford
New Bedford
Newton
Somerville
Springfield
Waltham
Watertown
West Springfield
Worcester
What Are The Open Burning Guidelines?
First things first:
Contact your local fire department for information on obtaining an open burning permit.
Starting the fire:
Remove all grass from the area where you will be burning.
Try to start the fire with natural "kindling" - never with gasoline or charcoal lighter fluid. If you must use an artificial helper, kerosene is probably safest.
While burning:
Never add brush that is green or wet. It will reduce the efficiency of the fire and produce thick smoke.
Someone must attend the fire until it's completely out. You will need a supply of water, and a shovel or rake for controlling the fire.
Putting the fire out:
Burn the fire down to the coals, frown them with water, spread them out, then drown them again.
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