Open Burning Season Begins This Week

Open burning season starts on Jan. 15 and ends on May 1 in Massachusetts. Marblehead residents can obtain permits -- a must -- through their local fire department.

Burning permits are free but you must go into the Marblehead Fire Department and speak with the on-duty captain to obtain one. It’s best to call ahead and ensure the captain is in the office and not out on a training assignment or other call.

“Weather conditions can change rapidly, especially in the spring, and fire wardens will determine on a daily basis when it is safe to conduct open burning,” it says on the DEP website. “If winds kick up or other atmospheric conditions change suddenly, making it unsafe to burn, permits can be rescinded (cancelled).”

Find out more provisions and laws surrounding open burning, including materials that can (or cannot) be burned. For instance, did you know raspberry stalks and infected beehives can be burned, but grass, hay and leaves are strictly prohibited. And as if we had to tell you, you can’t burn a tire, either.

Learn lots more on safety, as well as burning alternatives, on the DEP website.

Charlene Arsenault contributed to this article.