open burning brush pile in open field
(mass.gov)
(WWLP) – Residents within western Massachusetts will be able to begin burning brush between January 15th and May 1st, depending on weather conditions.
Before the brush is allowed to be burnt, permission from the town in which you plan to burn the brush is to be obtained first.
To fill out a permit on the day you want to burn the brush can be found here for Hampshire and Hampden Counties.
Towns in Hampshire and Hampden Counties this permit will be accessible to:
- Belchertown (You must first register with the town and pay $15 that covers the entire burning season)
- Goshen
- Williamsburg
- Hampden
- Wilbraham
- Ludlow
- East Longmeadow
For Berkshire County click here. Towns in Berkshire County this permit will be accessible to:
- Adams
- Becket
- Blandford
- Cheshire
- Dalton
- Egremont
- Great Barrington
- Hancock
- Lanesborough
- Lee
- Lenox
- Monterey
- New Ashford
- New Marlborough
- Otis
- Peru
- Pittsfield
- Richmond
- Sheffield
- Stockbridge
- Tolland
- Tyringham
- Washington
- West Stockbridge
- Williamstown
- Windsor
To obtain a permit in Franklin County click here. Greenfield residents are to pre-register with the city before receiving a permit. Hawley, Monroe, and Orange are towns that are not offering permits through the system.
The site is accessible between 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Permit selections are to depend on weather conditions.
According to Mass.gov, these are some regulations to keep in mind:
- You may only burn BRUSH! All other materials are illegal. No leaves, grass, hay, stumps, building debris, or any other materials are allowed to be burned.
- All open burning must be a minimum of 75 feet from buildings or structures.
- Burning will be allowed to start at 10:00 am and must be extinguished by 4 pm.
- Any open fire must be attended to at all times by the permit holder.
- No person shall set, maintain or increase a fire in the open air at any time except by permission.
- You must be 18 years or older to apply for a permit and/or set, maintain or increase a fire once permission has been granted by the Fire Department.
- You must have an appropriate means to extinguish an open-air fire completely at the end of the day or if requested by the Fire Department.
- The Fire Department can refuse or cancel a permit at any time. (Example: Violation of permit regulations, or change in weather conditions.)