Burn permits and fire pits in Canton, Massachusetts
Brush burning in Canton is allowed only during the January 15 to May 1 season. You need a permit from Fire Headquarters at 99 Revere Street, and permits depend on daily air quality. Burn at least 75 feet from any building, between 10 am and 4 pm. We found no local rule on backyard fire pits; state rules apply.
| Burning season | January 15 through May 1 [1] |
| Permit | Required; pick up at Fire Headquarters, 99 Revere Street [1] |
| Air quality | Permits issued day to day based on MassDEP air quality [2] |
| Distance from buildings | At least 75 ft [3] |
| Hours | 10 am to 4 pm [4] |
| Bonfires in public ways/places | Written permission of the Fire Chief [6] |
| Reservoir Pond waterfront | No open fires without a Fire Department permit [7] |
Brush burning season and permits
Canton's Fire Department allows open burning only from January 15 through May 1. A permit is required and can be picked up at Fire Headquarters, 99 Revere Street, starting January 15 [1]. Under MassDEP orders, permits are issued day by day based on air quality. If the air isn't healthy enough for burning on a given day, permits may not be issued [2]. MassDEP posts the daily reading at 8 am.
Rules while you burn
The Fire Department's basic rules:
- Burn at least 75 feet from any building [3].
- Burn only between 10 am and 4 pm [4].
- Put the fire out right away if the wind picks up, and attend it until it is completely out [5].
- Keep water, shovels and rakes on hand. Call the fire department without delay if the fire gets out of hand.
The Fire Department page doesn't list which materials may be burned. Under state rules, generally only brush and similar yard debris is allowed. Leaves, grass, stumps, construction debris and trash are not.
Bonfires and public places
The General By-Laws (Art. XIV, §12) ban bonfires in any public way or place without the Fire Chief's written permission [6]. At Reservoir Pond's Earl Newhouse Waterfront, no open fires are allowed without a Fire Department permit [7]. Canton has no general open-burning bylaw beyond these.
Fire pits and chimineas
We found no Canton bylaw, regulation or Fire Department guidance on backyard fire pits, chimineas or recreational fires. State rules let cooking fires go on year-round. A fire pit used for anything other than cooking falls under the open-burning rules, so check with the Fire Department before using one outside the permit season.
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Next steps
- Wait for the season (January 15 - May 1) and confirm on the day that MassDEP air quality allows burning.
- Pick up an open burning permit at Fire Headquarters, 99 Revere Street.
- Set up at least 75 ft from all buildings with water, a shovel and a rake on hand; burn only 10 am - 4 pm and stay until it is fully out.
- For a backyard fire pit, ask the Fire Prevention office whether it is treated as a cooking fire or needs a permit.
Common questions
- When is burning season in Canton, Massachusetts?
- Brush burning is allowed only from January 15 to May 1, between 10 am and 4 pm, and permits depend on daily air quality.
- How do I get a burn permit in Canton, MA?
- Pick up an open burning permit at Fire Headquarters, 99 Revere Street, starting January 15. Burn at least 75 feet from any building, keep water, a shovel and a rake on hand, and stay until the fire is completely out.
- Are fire pits allowed in Canton, Massachusetts?
- We found no Canton rule on backyard fire pits. Under state rules, cooking fires are allowed year-round, but a fire pit used for anything other than cooking falls under the open-burning rules, so check with the Fire Department before using one outside the permit season.
- Can you burn leaves in Canton, MA?
- No. Under state rules, generally only brush and similar yard debris may be burned; leaves, grass, stumps, construction debris and trash are not.
Massachusetts open burning and fire pit rules
State regulations (MassDEP, 310 CMR 7.07) and M.G.L. c. 48, §13 control outdoor burning.
Open burning of brush (where allowed):
- Only January 15 to May 1, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
- You need a permit from your local fire department in advance. Fire officials decide each day whether conditions allow burning and can cancel permits.
- Burn at least 75 feet from any dwelling, and only when air quality allows (MassDEP hotline 800-882-1497).
- Allowed: brush, cane, driftwood and residential forestry debris, plus some agricultural materials.
- Not allowed: leaves, grass, hay, stumps, tires, construction debris or household trash.
- Banned at all times in 22 communities, including Belmont, Brookline and Newton. The others are Arlington, Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Chicopee, Everett, Fall River, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Malden, Medford, New Bedford, Somerville, Springfield, Waltham, Watertown, West Springfield and Worcester.
Fire pits and outdoor cooking: cooking fires are allowed year-round everywhere and aren't covered by open-burning limits. They must be a reasonable size, kept away from combustibles, in a non-flammable enclosure, and tended by someone 18 or older. A fire pit used for anything other than cooking falls under the open-burning rules. Towns may further regulate or ban fire pits and chimineas.
Burning illegally, or letting a fire get out of control, can make you liable for firefighting costs, fines or jail time.
What the bylaw says
- Fire Department, Permits & Forms, Fire Department - Permits & Forms (open burning season and rules), p. 1
The open burning season is from January 15 through May 1. A permit is required for open burning and can be picked up at the fire station headquarters (99 Revere Street) starting January 15.
- Fire Department, Permits & Forms, Fire Department - Permits & Forms (open burning season and rules), p. 1
If the air quality on any particular day is considered not healthy enough for burning, permits may not be issued.
- Basic Rules for Open Burning, Fire Department - Permits & Forms (open burning season and rules), p. 1
Burning must be at least 75 feet from any buildings
- Basic Rules for Open Burning, Fire Department - Permits & Forms (open burning season and rules), p. 1
Burning must be conducted between the hours of 10 am to 4 pm
- Basic Rules for Open Burning, Fire Department - Permits & Forms (open burning season and rules), p. 1
The fire must be attended until completely extinguished
- Art. XIV, §12 Bonfires, Revised General By-Laws (2024 edition; amendments through ATM May 13, 2024), p. 54
No person shall make a bonfire in any public way or place without first obtaining in writing the permission of the Chief of the Fire Department.
- General Regulations, Section 3, Regulations for Use of Reservoir Pond and Town Property at Reservoir Pond (Select Board), p. 1
No open fires are allowed at the Earl Newhouse Waterfront without a permit from the Fire Department.