HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – Opening burning is allowed in Massachusetts through May 1st to get rid of brush, except in several western Massachusetts cities.
Open burning season in Massachusetts runs from January 15 to May 1st and they allow you to burn natural materials in your yard. Permits to burn must be obtained through your local fire department and can be rescinded at any time due to changes in air quality and weather.
Burning must be done between 10:00 in the morning and 4:00 in the afternoon and must be at least 75 feet from all dwellings. Fire departments encourage you to stage the fire as close as possible to the source of the material.
You 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
There are 22 communities where open burning is banned entirely:
- Arlington
- Belmont
- Boston
- Brookline
- Cambridge
- Chelsea
- Chicopee
- Everett
- Fall River
- Holyoke
- Lawrence
- Lowell
- Malden
- Medford
- New Bedford
- Newton
- Somerville
- Springfield
- Waltham
- Watertown
- West Springfield
- Worcester
