Backyard fires are heavily restricted in Cambridge. Only small contained cooking fires in UL-listed devices are allowed, with no open ground fires and no brush or yard-waste burning anywhere.
Because Cambridge excludes itself from the Massachusetts seasonal open-burning program under 310 CMR 7.07, traditional backyard bonfires, brush piles, and yard-waste fires are prohibited year-round. What is permitted is limited to small recreational cooking fires in UL-listed portable fireplaces, chimineas, or propane fire features placed at least 25 feet from any structure on private property with adult supervision. Charcoal and gas grills used for cooking are allowed under standard Fire Code provisions but must also maintain clearance from combustibles and are prohibited on balconies of multi-family buildings with more than two units under MA Fire Code. Cambridge Fire Prevention can be contacted at 617-349-4900 for specific guidance, and citations for unsafe or prohibited backyard fires are common, particularly after neighbor complaints through iReport/311.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how other cities in Middlesex County handle backyard fires.
See how Cambridge's backyard fires rules stack up against other locations.
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