EAST BRIDGEWATER — Chief Timothy Harhen and the East Bridgewater Fire Department would like to offer a few reminders to East Bridgewater residents when registering, applying and paying for their open burning season permits online this year.
Open burning season began Jan. 15 and runs through May 1. A permit is required to open burn in compliance with Massachusetts law. Burning permits from previous seasons do not carry over from year to year. All residents need to re-apply for a permit online.
Residents who registered through the eastbridgewater.firepermits.com portal last year can simply log in and apply for a 2022 burn permit. Those who are new to the portal can begin by creating an account and then applying for a permit. There is no cost for a burn permit.
Residents will receive an email notifying them when their permit is approved. On any day that a resident plans to burn, the permit must be activated by visiting their eastbridgewater.firepermits.com account. When a burn is activated, the department’s dispatch is able to view any open burning location on a map, assisting in public safety and emergency management.
Individuals who don’t have access to a computer should call the East Bridgewater Fire Department at 508-378-2071.
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 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
You 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.
###