OPEN BURNING RULES AND REGULATIONS

Open Brush Burning Season Starts January 15^th and Ends May 1^st

^{Permits for COOKING FIRES are different than Open Burning Permits; Contact the fire department for details.}
 In accordance with the regulations issued by the Southeastern Massachusetts Pollution Control District regarding open burning, in order to burn in the Town of Brewster:

• Permits must be obtained annually, in person, at the Brewster fire station (1657 Main Street). 
• Persons wishing to burn must get permission from the fire department by calling 508-896-7018, between 09:00 A.M. and 12:00 P.M., for each day of intended burning*;
• Adverse meteorological conditions, including rain, fog, or snow may influence the decision whether or not to allow open burning; and
• Permits are $10.00 and are valid for an entire burning season (January 15-May 1)**. 

The following rules apply to open burning:

• Burning must not cause a nuisance;
• Burning must be done with smoke minimizing starters;
• Burning must take place on the land closest to the source of the material to be burned, according to Department of Environmental Protection regulations (310 CMR DEP 7.07);
• Burning must take place at the LOCATION specified on the issued permit (a permit is only valid for a single location); 
• Burning must be at least 75 feet from all buildings;
• A responsible person MUST be in attendance AT ALL TIMES while the fire is burning;
• Have an available hose and water supply, as well as shovels or rakes present for controlling the fire;
• Burning may not commence after 12:00 P.M.;
• All burning will cease and fires shall be extinguished by 4:00 P.M.;
• The Brewster Fire Department reserves the right to inspect a burning site at any time.

*Weather conditions can change rapidly, especially in the spring, and the fire department will determine on a daily basis when it is safe to conduct open burning. If winds kick up or other atmospheric conditions change suddenly, making it unsafe to burn, permits can be rescinded.* 

Burning, with a permit for the following materials is allowed:

• Brush, cane, driftwood, and forestry debris from other than commercial and/or industrial land clearing operations.

• Materials normally associated with the pursuit of agriculture such as fruit tree prunings, dead raspberry stalks, blueberry patches for pruning purposes, and infected bee hives for disease control.

• Trees and brush resulting from agricultural land clearing.

• Fungus infected elm wood, if no other acceptable means of disposal is available.

Open Burning Regulations Prohibit the following, statewide:

• Burning of brush, trees, cane and driftwood from commercial and/or industrial land clearing operations.

• Burning of grass, hay, leaves and stumps, and tires.

• Burning of trees.

• Burning during adverse meteorological conditions.

• Burning at landfills or refuse disposal facilities other than approved incinerators.

• Burning construction material and debris.

• Stacking, placing, or storing combustible material such that the fire department may presume that it will be burned.

**Infractions to the above regulations by any violators may result in revocation of a permit and cancellation of open burning for the remainder of the open burning season. In certain cases fines may even be levied**  

Who may burn:

• Those who have PERMISSION from the fire department or forest warden;

• Those affiliated with an official fire fighting agency who are engaged in training activities or combating or backfiring an existing fire; and

• Those who are open buring primarily for cooking purposes.  

How to conduct open burning:

• An adult MUST always be present during open burning and children and pets should be kept a safe distance away.  

• Keep a nearby water supply such as a garden hose, pump can, or pressurized water can.

• Tools, such as rakes and shovels, must be on hand for fire control purposes.

• Use paper and kindling to start the fire and add progressively larger pieces of wood. Parts of a leftover Christmas tree may also be used.