Open Burning Season in Easton Starts This Week

Open burning season starts on Thursday in Easton and other Massachusetts communities.

The Easton Fire Department began issuing Burning Permits on Monday.

Pick up a permit any day of the week in the lobby of Station No. 3, 413 Bay Road, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Burning in Easton is only allowed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Thursday, Jan. 15 to Friday, May 1.

The Easton Fire department issued rules and regulations for residents to follow, including how far away the fire must be from a building and what type of materials can be burned.

According to the Easton Fire Department, these materials are allowed to be burned with the Burning Permit:

• Brush, cane, driftwood and forestry debris.
• Agricultural materials such as fruit tree prunings, dead raspberry stalks, blueberry patches for pruning purposes and infected beehives for disease control.

These materials are prohibited from being burned across the state:

• Brush, trees, cane and driftwood.
• Grass, hay, leaves, stumps and tires.
• Construction material and debris.

Open burning must be at least 75 feet from all residents and it must not be an inconvenience to neighbors. The fire department has the ability to revoke a permit if a party violated the open air burning rules or creates a nuisance.

Those who conduct illegal burning or cause a fire to get out of control may be fined, imprisoned and liable for costs of extinguishing the fire.

Residents must obtain permission for each day of burning. Call the recorded burning line at 508-230-0788.

Follow these safety procedures when igniting a fire:

• Always have an adult present. Make sure children and pets are kept a safe distance from the fire.
• Start the fire with paper and kindling and progressively add larger pieces of wood. Residents can use a leftover Christmas tree.
• Burn one small pile at a time and slowly add to it to keep the fire from getting out of control.
• Do not use gasoline, kerosene or flammable liquid to start a fire. These liquids can cause a very high risk of personal injury.
• Make sure the fire is away from utility lines.
• Keep a hose or water supply close by.

Learn lots more on safety, as well as burning alternatives and how to obtain a permit, on the DEP website.

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