Burn Permitting

IT'S THE LAW

FIRE PERMITS REQUIRED
 

Online Burn Permit- INITIAL & RENEWAL 

Once the form is complete make sure you E-Sign, Download, and Print it to have it on hand at any time you are burning.

Please call dispatch if you plan to burn after submitting, they will confirm receipt of the application, you may burn (weather permitting) until a hard copy of the permit is signed 

Daily Fire Danger

CALL 382-6816 PRIOR

TO BURNING EACH TIME

If you are not on the burn permit list you will be directed to fill out the online form

General Burning Information 

Anyone who wishes to burn clean, ordinary combustibles such as leaves, brush or untreated lumber, or have a camp or cooking fire MUST have written permission from the landowner and a fire permit from the local forest fire warden or local fire department in the town or city where the fire will be kindled. You MUST be at least 18 years of age to obtain a written fire permit.


Public or privately owned camp or picnic grounds must obtain an annual written fire permit from the town forest fire warden for use of outside fireplaces, camp or cooking fires used in the operation of the camp or picnic grounds. Such camp or cooking fires should:

-be in an area cleaned to mineral soil at least 8 feet across;

-have at least 6 inches of sand or gravel under the fire for any fire built on the ground;

-have no limbs or other burnable material to a height of 10 feet above the fireplace area; and

-be constructed so they cannot be moved from their mineral soil area.

What You Can Burn and When

Only leaves, woody debris or brush less than 5 inches in diameter, or untreated wood and dimension lumber (subject to Env-A 1001.05(g) below) can be burned. For any open burning a written fire permit is required. Even with the permit, no open burning is allowed between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm unless it is raining.

 When the ground where you are burning is completely covered with snow no fire permit is required. However, be sure to check local ordinances that might restrict winter-time burning.

The permittee will be required to have suppression equipment on site while the burning is being done and the fires will have to be totally extinguished or be constantly attended.

Air quality regulations restrict the type of material burned in the open. Stumps, painted or treated lumber, tires, tubes, plastics, foam rubber and shingles are some of the prohibited materials (see Department of Environmental Services, Air Resources Division Open Burning Rules). Per Env-A 1001.05(g) "On-site burning, by the owner of a private, single-family residence occupied by the owner, of untreated wood, provided the material originates on site".C
ommercial PermitsThe Forest Ranger for your town/city and local Warden are needed to issue a commercial permit to burn when no other means of disposal of material is available, such as chipping, hauling to a landfill or other methods of legal disposal.

SEASONAL CATEGORY I BURN PERMIT: Category I Fire: means a small controlled fire, such as a camp or cooking fire, no greater than 2’ in diameter contained within a ring of fire resistive material or in a portable fireplace. A category I fire, conditions permitting, may be kindled with a permit at any time of day whether raining or not.

SEASONAL CATEGORY II BURN PERMIT: Category II Fire: means a controlled fire, such as a camp or cooking fire, no greater than 4’ in diameter contained within a ring of fire resistive material or in a portable fireplace. A category II fire, conditions permitting, may only be kindled with a permit between the hours of 5:00 pm and 9:00 am unless it is actually raining.

CATEGORY I BURN PERMIT: Category I Fire: means a small controlled fire, such as a camp or cooking fire, no greater than 2’ in diameter contained within a ring of fire resistive material or in a portable fireplace. A category I fire, conditions permitting, may be kindled with a permit at any time of day whether raining or not.

CATEGORY II BURN PERMIT: Category II Fire: means a controlled fire, such as a camp or cooking fire, no greater than 4’ in diameter contained within a ring of fire resistive material or in a portable fireplace. A category II fire, conditions permitting, may only be kindled with a permit between the hours of 5:00 pm and 9:00 am unless it is actually raining.See Diagram

CATEGORY III BURN PERMIT: Category III Fire: II fire or a fire greater than 4’ in diameter or a fire not contained within a ring of resistive material. A category III fire, conditions permitting, may only be kindled with a permit between the hours of 5:00 pm and 9:00 am unless it is actually raining.

Please note permits are only issued in accordance with the State of NH forecasted fire weather danger. 
 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Fire Department

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Materials Not Acceptable for Burning

Construction & demolition debris • Tires • Household trash • Packaging materials • Plastics • Coated or laminated paper • Coated or treated cardboard • Oily rags • Animal, vegetable and kitchen waste • Used Oil, gasoline and hazardous waste • Brush greater than 5 inches in diameter • Any wood that has been painted/ stained, glued, or treated in any way

Materials Acceptable for Burning

 Campfire wood • Charcoal • Clean pallets If generated on-site • Brush (less than 5 inches in diameter) • Clean lumber scraps (private single family residences only) All burning must be conducted in accordance with local ordinances and under a “Permit To Kindle Fire” issued by the local Fire Warden or authorized agent. Burning construction & demolition debris and household trash releases toxic air pollutants, creates potentially hazardous ash, and puts your family, neighbors, and the environment at risk.

New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development
Division of Forests and Lands
P.O. Box 1856
Concord, NH 03302-1856
(603) 271-2217

REMEMBER: ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT FOREST FIRES