Burn permits and fire pits in Brunswick, Maine
The Brunswick ordinances we reviewed don't include their own rules for brush burning or backyard fire pits. Chapter 7 adopts the NFPA 1 fire code by reference, but its text isn't in our sources, so follow the state burn-permit rules and check with the Brunswick Fire Department before you burn.
| Local fire code | NFPA 1 (2018) adopted as the Fire Prevention Code of the Town of Brunswick [1] |
| Who enforces it | Fire chief / fire prevention bureau ("code official") [2] |
| Fires on public ways or public property | Need a permit from the fire chief (Sec. 14-3) [3] |
| Outdoor wood boilers | Yard waste, garbage, plastics, treated wood and similar may not be burned [4] |
What the local code says
Brunswick's fire chapter (Chapter 7) adopts NFPA 1, the Uniform Fire Code, 2018 Edition, and NFPA 101 as the "Fire Prevention Code of the Town of Brunswick," with a copy on file at the town clerk's office [1]. NFPA 1 has its own open-burning provisions, but the town's local amendments don't add brush-burning, fire-pit or recreational-fire rules, and the code text itself isn't in the sources we reviewed. The fire chief or the fire prevention bureau enforces the code [2].
The chapter's cross-reference notes that fires on any public way or public property are prohibited without a permit from the fire chief under Sec. 14-3 [3]. That covers public land, not your backyard.
Outdoor wood boilers
The only burning-specific local rules we found apply to outdoor wood boilers and pellet boilers. Those units may burn only clean wood (or approved pellets and starter fuels), and may not burn garbage, tires, lawn clippings or yard waste, plastics, rubber, painted or treated materials, construction debris, plywood or similar items [4]. This doesn't govern an open fire pit, but it shows what the town considers unacceptable fuel.
What applies instead
Because the local ordinance is silent on backyard burning, Maine's statewide rules (shown separately on this page) are the practical guide: a burn permit for brush and most campfires, and no burning of trash or treated materials. Confirm current permit procedures with the Brunswick Fire Department.
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Next steps
- Before burning brush or using a fire pit, check the day's fire danger and get a burn permit from the Brunswick Fire Department or the Maine Forest Service online system.
- Burn only clean, untreated wood and brush; never trash, plastics or construction debris.
- For fires on any public property or public way, get a permit from the fire chief.
- If you're installing an outdoor wood or pellet boiler, contact the Fire Department about Sec. 7-33 requirements.
Common questions
- Do I need a burn permit in Brunswick, Maine?
- The ordinances we reviewed have no local brush-burning rules, so state rules are the practical guide: a burn permit for brush and most campfires. Get one from the Brunswick Fire Department or the Maine Forest Service online system.
- Does Brunswick, Maine regulate backyard fire pits?
- Not in the ordinances we reviewed. Chapter 7 adopts the NFPA 1 fire code by reference, but its text isn't in our sources, so check with the Brunswick Fire Department before you burn.
- Can I have a fire on public property in Brunswick, Maine?
- Fires on any public way or public property are prohibited without a permit from the fire chief.
- What can't I burn in Brunswick, Maine?
- State rules bar burning trash or treated materials. Locally, outdoor wood boilers may not burn garbage, tires, yard waste, plastics, painted or treated materials, or construction debris. Burn only clean, untreated wood and brush.
Maine state burn permit rules
Maine law (12 M.R.S. §9324–9325) and the DEP open burning rule apply in every town. Towns can be stricter, and some ban brush burning entirely.
You need a burn permit from your town forest fire warden or the Maine Forest Service for:
- Burning leaves, brush, deadwood and tree cuttings from normal upkeep of your own property.
- A recreational campfire when the ground isn't covered by snow.
- Any recreational fire larger than 3 ft across and 3 ft high (Forest Service guidance since Oct. 25, 2023).
No permit needed for:
- A campfire on snow-covered ground or a frozen pond, up to 3 ft wide and 3 ft high.
- Residential outdoor grills and fireplaces used for things like cooking, up to 3 ft by 3 ft.
Getting a permit: Online permits from the Maine Forest Service have been free since Oct. 2021, and you can request them 9am to midnight. Your town warden can also write you a permit for free. Check the daily fire danger report, because permits depend on conditions.
Banned everywhere: Burning trash, plastic, rubber, Styrofoam, metal, food waste, chemicals, treated wood or other solid waste. Only clean wood waste and the wood part of construction debris may be burned. No open burning at all, campfires included, in an area under a red flag warning.
You must burn at a suitable time and with care. You can be sued if your fire damages someone else's property.
What the ordinance says
- Sec. 7-26 Codes adopted, Chapter 7 - Fire Prevention and Protection, p. 1
NFPA 1, Uniform Fire Code, 2018 Edition, as published by the National Fire Protection Association and NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, 2018 Edition, as published by the National Fire Protection Association, are enacted as the "Fire Prevention Code of the Town of Brunswick"
- Sec. 7-27(3), NFPA 1 Section 1.6 Enforcement, Chapter 7 - Fire Prevention and Protection, p. 1
The fire chief or the chief of the fire prevention bureau, or his duly authorized representative has the authority to enforce the provisions of the fire prevention code as herein set forth.
- Chapter 7 cross reference (Sec. 14-3), Chapter 7 - Fire Prevention and Protection, p. 1
fires prohibited on any public way or public property without obtaining a permit from the fire chief, § 14-3
- Sec. 7-33 Outdoor wood boiler/hydronic heaters, Prohibited fuels, Chapter 7 - Fire Prevention and Protection, p. 1
No person shall burn any of the following items in an outdoor wood boiler: a. Any wood that does not meet the definition of clean wood; b. Garbage; c. Tires; d. Lawn clippings or yard waste;