Bellingham, MA Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Massachusetts regulates residential open burning under 310 CMR 7.07 (Department of Environmental Protection) and 527 CMR 1.00 §10.14 (State Fire Marshal). The state burn season runs from January 15 to May 1 each year; outside that window, open burning is prohibited statewide. Within the season, the Bellingham Fire Department issues daily permits through Permiteyes (permiteyes.us/bellingham). Each permit holder must call to activate the permit the day they plan to burn, between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon, and the fire must be completely extinguished by 4:00 p.m. The burn must be located at least 75 feet from any dwelling, attended by a competent adult at all times, and accompanied by a hose, fire extinguisher, or other suppression equipment. Allowed materials are limited to brush, cane, driftwood, and forestry debris generated on the property. Burning of leaves, grass, hay, stumps, tires, trash, demolition material, or construction debris is prohibited statewide. The Bellingham Fire Department may suspend permits on any day when air quality or wind conditions create an elevated fire risk. Fire pits used solely for cooking are exempt from the open-burning rules, but recreational fire pits burning brush or wood for warmth fall under the same MassDEP/state-fire-marshal regulations.