NORTON — Chief Shawn Simmons and the Norton Fire Department would like to remind Norton residents that open burning season begins Jan. 15 and runs through May 1. A permit is required to open burn in compliance with Massachusetts law.
Any Norton resident wishing to participate in open burning this season must obtain a permit. Permits are now available online for the 2023 burning season. Residents can click here to apply for or renew a burn permit.
All permits will be approved after the application is completed. To request a burn on an existing permit, fill in at least three of the fields on the webpage, then click SEARCH button or press Enter key.
Permits may be requested from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Burning is permitted from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Residents may not request permits before the day they plan to burn.
Anyone with questions is encouraged to contact the Norton Fire Department at (508) 285-0240 or visit in person at 70 East Main St.
Burning permits from previous seasons do not carry over from year to year. Once residents receive their permit they will log into the site to request burning and will be advised on the site if conditions allow for burning that day or not.
Violations of the permit requirements, open burning law and/or open burning regulations will be grounds for permit revocation. According to Massachusetts law, anyone found burning without a permit may be subject to criminal charges, the punishment for which is a fine of up to $500, plus the cost of suppression or by imprisonment for up to one month, or both.
Open Burning:
Burning must be done:
- Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., from Jan. 15 to May 1
- At least 75 feet from all buildings
- As close as possible to the source of material being burned
Residents are allowed to burn:
- Brush, cane, driftwood and forestry debris (but not from commercial or industrial land clearing)
- Agricultural materials including fruit tree and bush prunings, raspberry stalks, and infected bee hives for disease control
- Trees and brush from agricultural land clearing
- Fungus-infected elm wood, if no other acceptable means of disposal is available
Residents may not burn:
- Leaves
- Brush, trees, cane or driftwood from commercial or industrial land clearing
- Grass, hay, leaves, stumps or tires
- Construction materials or demolition debris
- Household trash
What times are best for open burning?
- You can help prevent wildland fires by burning early in the season. Wet and snowy winter conditions help hinder the rapid spread of fire on or under the ground.
- Changing weather conditions and increased fire danger in spring can lead to many days when open burning is not allowed.
- April is usually the worst month for brush fires. When snow recedes, but before new growth emerges, last year’s dead grass, leaves and wood are dangerous tinder. Winds also tend to be strong and unpredictable in April.
For more information on open burning in Massachusetts, visit Mass.gov.
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