For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net

Whitman Fire Chief Reminds Residents of Outdoor Burning Rules

WHITMAN — Chief Timothy J. Grenno announces that the State Open Burning Season will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 15 and run through May 1.

For those residents who need to apply for a permit, they are asked to come to the Whitman Fire station, 56 Temple St., to fill out the required paperwork. The permits are free.

Residents who have already obtained permits need to call 781-618-9872 on the day they wish to burn. Callers will hear a message which will inform them if burning is allowed that day and instruct them to leave their name, address and permit number.

If burning is not allowed that day, the phone message will say so.

Residents should not call the Fire Department business line for burning authorization.

If you have obtained a permit in the past, the permits carry over from year to year and you do not need to apply for a new one.

“We want to thank our residents in advance for following the proper open burning laws and remind folks that if they have an emergency while burning to call 911,” Chief Grenno said.

Outdoor burning is only permitted for brush, cane, driftwood, forestry debris, agricultural debris and — under certain conditions — fungus-infected elm wood. Burning grass, hay, leaves, stumps, and commercial or industrial land clearing for non-agricultural purposes is prohibited.

Violations of the permit requirements, open burning law and/or open burning regulations will be grounds for permit revocation. According to Massachusetts law, anyone found burning without a permit may be subject to criminal charges, the punishment for which is a fine of up to $500, plus the cost of suppression, or by imprisonment for up to one month, or both.

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