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Burn Permits & Backyard Fires in Maine: rules in 23 towns compared
Can I burn brush or have a backyard fire pit? Here's how each town answers it. Click a town for the details and the exact ordinance text.
Last reviewed
This page is for anyone in Maine who wants to burn brush or leaves, or have a campfire or backyard fire pit. State law (12 M.R.S. §9324-9325) and the DEP open burning rule apply in every town. You need a burn permit from your town forest fire warden or the Maine Forest Service to burn brush, leaves and deadwood from your own property, and for a recreational campfire when the ground isn't covered by snow. Online permits from the Maine Forest Service have been free since October 2021. Burning trash, plastic and other solid waste is banned everywhere, and no open burning is allowed, campfires included, in an area under a red flag warning.
Of the 23 towns we cover, 11 have their own rules or fire department guidance spelling out when and how you get a permit, and at least 6 of them limit burning or permits to low fire-danger days. Two towns go further: South Portland bans brush burning citywide, and Cumberland's Fire/EMS Chief can ban all outdoor burning during serious fire danger. The other 10 have no local burning rules in the documents we reviewed, so the state rules apply. Pick your town below.
Town-by-town comparison
| Town | Verdict | Short answer |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Elizabeth | Allowed with a permit | Only with permission. Cape Elizabeth's Fire Protection Code bans any bonfire or other exposed fire unless the Fire Chief gives specific permission or state law allows it, and the town's Health and Sanitation Ordinance lets you burn only leaves or brush, with a proper permit. Burning trash or other solid waste is illegal. |
| Yarmouth | Allowed with a permit | Yes, but Yarmouth's Fire Ordinance makes it unlawful to burn anything on your own land without first getting a permit from the Fire Chief. The Chief can ban all outdoor burning during dry conditions, and you may only burn trees, limbs, leaves and other wood waste, never trash or other solid waste. |
| Cumberland | Restricted | Cumberland's fire ordinance doesn't set up its own burn permit system, but the Fire/EMS Chief can ban all outdoor burning during serious fire danger, and light household materials like paper and cardboard may only be burned in a screened receptacle with a screened cover. Maine's statewide burn permit rules (shown below) still apply to brush burning and backyard fires. |
| North Yarmouth | Not specifically regulated | North Yarmouth doesn't have its own open-burning ordinance, and its Land Use Ordinance doesn't regulate brush burning or backyard fire pits. Maine's statewide burn permit rules apply: get a permit from the Maine Forest Service online system or the town's forest fire warden before burning brush. |
| Freeport | Not specifically regulated | We found no Freeport rules on brush burning, backyard fire pits, or burn permits in the ordinances we reviewed. The town has adopted the NFPA 1 Fire Code, which is enforced by the Fire Chief. Before you burn anything, check with Freeport Fire Rescue and get a permit through the Maine Forest Service online burn permit system. |
| Scarborough | Not specifically regulated | Scarborough's ordinances we reviewed don't regulate backyard brush burning or fire pits; the only open-fire rule we found bans open fires within the harbor. Before any outdoor burning, check with Scarborough Fire-Rescue, which handles burn permits through the Maine Forest Service burn permit system. |
| South Portland | Restricted | Brush burning is not allowed: South Portland bans burning slash, leaves, stumps and yard brush anywhere in the city. A backyard fire pit or outdoor fireplace is allowed with an annual Fire Department permit, and a campfire needs a daily burning permit; both must use clean, seasoned firewood and keep required distances from buildings and property lines. |
| Portland | Allowed with a permit | Campfires in Portland need a valid burning permit. A recreational fire appliance (the code doesn't define it, but it generally means a manufactured fire pit or chiminea) or a fixed outdoor fireplace needs no city permit, but it must sit at least 15 feet from all structures, combustible material and property lines, and open fire rings don't get this exemption. Burning trash or other solid waste is illegal. The city code does not separately address brush burning. |
| Gorham | Not specifically regulated | Gorham's land use ordinances that we reviewed don't regulate brush burning, backyard fires or fire pits, and we found no local burning ordinance. Burn permits in Gorham go through the Gorham Fire Department or the Maine Forest Service online permit system, under state rules. |
| Windham | Allowed with a permit | Windham requires a permit for all open burning, such as brush piles. Small recreational fires (3 ft across or 3 ft high or less) don't need a town permit, though state law may still require a burn permit for a campfire when the ground isn't snow-covered. Outdoor fireplaces must be at least 25 feet from structures, and every fire must be attended by an adult with a hose or extinguisher ready. |
| Harpswell | Not specifically regulated | The Harpswell ordinances we reviewed have no local rules on brush burning, backyard fires or fire pits. Burning in Harpswell follows state rules, so get a burn permit from the Maine Forest Service online system or the local fire warden before burning brush or having a campfire on bare ground. |
| Brunswick | Not specifically regulated | 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. |
| Topsham | Allowed with a permit | According to Topsham Fire & Rescue's burn-permit web page (not an ordinance), you need a free permit for any outside burning in Topsham, either online or in person at the fire station. You can burn only brush, leaves and clean wood, and there's no burning on Class 3, 4 or 5 fire-danger days or during a burn ban. |
| Kennebunk | Allowed with a permit | Burning brush, wood or a fire pit in Kennebunk requires a burn permit from the Kennebunk Fire Department or the Maine Forest Service. Permits are issued only on Class 1 or 2 fire-danger days. Residential burning on weekdays is allowed only from 5 PM to 9 AM. Gas or charcoal grills for cooking don't need a permit, and burning trash is illegal. |
| Kennebunkport | Not specifically regulated | The Kennebunkport ordinances we reviewed don't specifically regulate brush burning or backyard fire pits. The town's Fires and Fire Prevention chapter adopts the Life Safety Code and a key lock box rule. Maine's statewide burn permit rules (shown on this page) still apply. |
| York | Allowed with a permit | York has no local open-burning ordinance for backyards, so state rules apply. You need a burn permit for brush burning and for recreational campfires on bare ground. The York Beach Fire Department issues permits at its station after 9 AM and issues none on Class 3 or higher fire-danger days. Grills and outdoor fireplaces used for cooking don't need a permit. Fires on York's beaches are banned unless the Selectboard approves a special event permit. |
| Kittery | Not specifically regulated | The Kittery ordinances we reviewed have no local rules for brush burning, backyard fires or fire pits. Kittery follows state rules, so get a burn permit from the Maine Forest Service online system or the local fire warden. The only local fire rule we found bans campfires and portable grills on town launch ramps and docks without the Harbormaster's approval. |
| Ogunquit | Not specifically regulated | The Ogunquit ordinances we reviewed don't regulate brush burning, backyard fires or fire pits, and we found no local burning ordinance. Burning in Ogunquit falls under Maine's statewide burn permit system, through the Maine Forest Service online permit system or the local fire warden. |
| Wells | Allowed with a permit | According to the Wells Fire Department's Outdoor Burning web page (town guidance, not an ordinance), you need a permit for all outdoor burning, applied for online. Attended burning is allowed only on Class 1 and 2 days, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Beach fires are allowed only on Moody Beach, with a permit, from 5 to 11:30 p.m. |
| Camden | Allowed with a permit | Yes, with a same-day state burn permit obtained online from the Maine burn permit site. Camden says permits are issued only on Class I and II fire-danger days, and you can only use one when winds are under 10 mph. You must be 18 or older and own the land or have the owner's written consent. Camden's page doesn't address backyard fire pits separately. |
| Rockport | Allowed with a permit | Yes, with a permit. Rockport requires a burn permit to burn wood or leaves from your property, and the Fire Department issues permits only online through the free Maine Open Burn Permit service. Campfires for cooking or heat don't need a permit, but backyard fire pits may be used only on Class 1 and 2 fire-danger days. |
| Bar Harbor | Allowed with a permit | Yes, with a permit and a call to the fire department each time. Bar Harbor requires a permit for brush burning and for campfires, including fires in a metal fire pit, and you must call the fire station (207-288-5554) before lighting. Campfire permits are yearly and free at the station. |
| Mount Desert | Not specifically regulated | Mount Desert has no town ordinance on brush burning or backyard fire pits, so Maine's statewide burn permit rules apply (see the state rules on this page). The Mount Desert Fire Department's fire-pit brochure recommends keeping a fire pit at least 30 ft from any combustible structure and lists materials that can never be burned. |
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.
Common questions about burn permits & fire pits in Maine
- Do I need a burn permit in Maine?
- Usually. You need a permit from your town forest fire warden or the Maine Forest Service to burn leaves, brush, deadwood and tree cuttings from your property, for a recreational campfire when the ground isn't snow-covered, and for any recreational fire larger than 3 ft across and 3 ft high. Towns can be stricter.
- How do I get a burn permit in Maine?
- You can request a free permit online from the Maine Forest Service between 9am and midnight, or get one free from your town's forest fire warden. Check the daily fire danger report first, because permits depend on conditions. Some towns we cover issue permits only on low fire-danger days.
- Is a burn permit free in Maine?
- Yes. Online burn permits from the Maine Forest Service have been free since October 2021, and your town warden can also write you a permit for free.
- Do I need a permit for a fire pit in Maine?
- It depends. State law requires a permit for a recreational campfire when the ground isn't snow-covered, but exempts residential outdoor grills and fireplaces used for things like cooking, up to 3 ft by 3 ft. Whether a backyard fire pit counts as a fireplace is a gray area, and several towns we cover set their own fire pit rules.
- Can I burn trash in Maine?
- No. Burning trash, plastic, rubber, Styrofoam, metal, food waste, chemicals, treated wood or other solid waste is banned everywhere in Maine. Only clean wood waste and the wood part of construction debris may be burned.
- Can I have a campfire during a red flag warning in Maine?
- No. State law bans all open burning, campfires included, in an area under a red flag warning.
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