Cumberland County, ME Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Cumberland County does not issue burn permits; permitting is statutory and runs through each municipality's forest fire warden plus the Maine Forest Service. Under 12 MRS § 9324, 'No person, firm or corporation may burn out of doors without a permit from a town forest fire warden or forest ranger.' Permitted purposes under 12 MRS § 9325 include leaf and brush burning from property maintenance, agricultural burning (e.g., blueberry fields, timber management), wood-waste burning from construction/demolition, holiday and ceremonial fires, firefighter training, and hazard-reduction grass burning. Three categories may be done without a permit if they do not create a nuisance: (1) recreational fires of ≤ 3 ft × 3 ft on snow/ice-covered ground, (2) residential grills and fireplaces used for cooking, and (3) grills at licensed commercial campgrounds. Permits are obtained free through Maine's online burn-permit portal (run by the Maine Forest Service and participating towns) or directly from the town warden. Open burning is prohibited statewide whenever the Maine Forest Service issues a Red Flag Warning, and municipalities may further restrict or prohibit burning under home-rule authority.