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.
Permits:
Residents can begin applying for a burn permit today by creating an account via the department’s new burn permit portal: norton.firepermits.com. Once you are registered, you can apply for your burn permit online by clicking “Get a Permit”. Residents will receive an email notifying them the permit is approved.
Once registered, residents can sign up to burn between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
If conditions are unsafe for burning, such as high winds or drought, a notification will be posted on the homepage.
Individuals who don’t have access to a computer should call the Norton Fire Department at 508-285-0248 for assistance with their burn permit application.
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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