5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 5 cities in Worcester County, Massachusetts.
Verified from official government sources
Gas-fueled fire appliances allowed under 527 CMR 1.0. Wood-burning fire pits outside of Worcester city are generally permitted for cooking-related use but subject to open burning rules when not used for cooking. Within Worcester city, open burning (including wood fire pits) is banned year-round.
All consumer fireworks are banned statewide under MGL c. 148, §39. This applies throughout Worcester County. Possession or use is a criminal offense. Only licensed professional displays are permitted.
Worcester County may require vegetation management for fire safety. MA does not have a statewide defensible space mandate. Local property maintenance applies.
Open burning in Massachusetts is governed by MGL c. 48, §13 and 310 CMR 7.07. The regulated burning season runs January 15–May 1, with burning allowed only between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. with a permit from the local fire department. No county ordinance.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 48, § 13 (Open-air fires)
Section 13. No person shall set, maintain or increase a fire in the open air at any time except by permission, covering a period not exceeding two days from the date thereof, granted by the forest warden or chief of the fire department in cities and towns, or, in cities having such an official, the fire commissioner; provided, that if such permission is not in writing, a written record of the g...
Worcester County MA does not have formal wildfire hazard zones like western states, but the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Bureau of Forest Fire Control operates under MGL c. 48 and enforces open burning restrictions. Wildfire risk is moderate in wooded western Worcester County (Petersham, Athol, Phillipston). Open burning season Jan 15 - May 1 only, permit required. Red-flag days trigger statewide burn bans. 780 CMR does not mandate wildland-urban interface standards.
MGL c. 48, § 13 — Setting open air fires; conditions and restrictions; penalty for violation
Section 13. No person shall set, maintain or increase a fire in the open air at any time except by permission, covering a period not exceeding two days from the date thereof, granted by the forest warden or chief of the fire department in cities and towns, or, in cities having such an official, the fire commissioner; provided, that if such permission is not in writing, a written record of the g...
5 cities in Worcester County have their own fire regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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