Brockton, MA Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)

Article XII of Chapter 7, Sections 7-311 through 7-320, governs open-air fires in Brockton, and Class I permits under Section 7-315 cover chimeneas, fire pits, outdoor fireplaces and open-air burning. No one may set, maintain or increase a fire in the open air in the city without obtaining a permit from the head of the fire department under Section 7-312. To get a Class I permit, the applicant must apply and pay in person at the fire prevention bureau, pass an on-site inspection of the device and location, prove ownership or get the owner's written permission, and show identification.

and midnight, and is limited to property occupied by one- and two-family dwellings, so multi-family and commercial properties are barred outright under Section 7-315(20). Once issued, the device must sit at least 30 feet from any building, combustible construction or residential occupancy, and 30 feet from any canopy, roof or overhang, with at least three feet of clearance from combustible material including dried grass. Section 7-320 layers on a further 30-foot setback from combustible rubbish, wood, trees, bushes, or piled leaves, branches or grass, and requires a garden hose or filled watering pots on hand while the fire burns.

Permits are void in high wind or dry conditions, must be extinguished by midnight, require constant adult attendance, and may be revoked at any time the fire department deems the smoke objectionable or a public-safety threat. Burning yard waste, leaves, brush, trash or construction debris in the device is separately forbidden.