BURNING SEASON

January 15   -   May 1

- RULES AND REGULATIONS -

M.G.L. Chapter 48

PERMITS

Fee   -   $15.00

To receive a permit, you must call the Pelham Fire Department at 253-3311. An inspection will be conducted the first time you call and your permit will be issued. Once issued a permit, you need only call and leave a message indicating your name, location and the day(s) you plan to burn.

Burning will be permitted on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only.

All fires must be at least 75′ from any dwelling.

Materials shall not be piled to exceed a height of three (3) feet.

Shall not exceed a width of ten (10) feet and not to exceed a length of ten (10) feet.

Burning will be permitted only between the hours of 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.

- All Fires to be Extinguished/Completely Out by 4:00 pm -

No fire shall be started after 12:00 noon

Note: In case of heavy winds or otherwise dangerous conditions, permits will be invalid as provided by law.

 

Materials Permitted to Burn:	Materials Not Permitted to Burn:
Tree Branches	Leaves, Grass, Hay, Whole Trees,
Brush	Stumps, Tires, Plastics, Paint,
Cane	Styrofoam, Household Trash,
Driftwood	Motor Oil, Building Materials,
Forestry Debris	Land Clearing for Building Sites.

 

By Authority:

Raymond A. Murphy, Jr.

Pelham Fire Chief/Forest Fire Warden

 

OPEN AIR BURNING

- Agricultural -

Massachusetts General Laws:

PART I. ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT

TITLE XVI. PUBLIC HEALTH

CHAPTER 111. PUBLIC HEALTH

NUISANCES

 

Chapter 111: Section 142L. Agricultural burning

 

Section 142L. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections one hundred and forty-two A to one hundred and forty-two E, inclusive, the burning of tree prunings, diseased plant materials, and brush from land clearing operations, which are the direct result of the normal commercial pursuit of agriculture, as defined in section one A of chapter one hundred and twenty-eight, shall be allowed subject to the permission of the local fire chief which need not be in writing. Said permission shall be based solely upon whether or not appropriate meteorological conditions exist to ensure safe burning. 

 

 

PART I. ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT

TITLE XIX. AGRICULTURE AND CONSERVATION

CHAPTER 128. AGRICULTURE

DEFINITIONS

 

Chapter 128: Section 1A. Farming, agriculture, farmer; definitions

 

Section 1A. “Farming” or “agriculture” shall include farming in all of its branches and the cultivation and tillage of the soil, dairying, the production, cultivation, growing and harvesting of any agricultural, aquacultural, floricultural or horticultural commodities, the growing and harvesting of forest products upon forest land, the raising of livestock including horses, the keeping of horses as a commercial enterprise, the keeping and raising of poultry, swine, cattle and other domesticated animals used for food purposes, bees, fur-bearing animals, and any forestry or lumbering operations, performed by a farmer, who is hereby defined as one engaged in agriculture or farming as herein defined, or on a farm as an incident to or in conjunction with such farming operations, including preparations for market, delivery to storage or to market or to carriers for transportation to market.