Burn permits and fire pits in Mashpee, Massachusetts
You can burn brush in Mashpee only from January 15 to May 1, with a free burning permit from the Fire Department (apply at Fire Headquarters, 20 Frank Hicks Drive). Mashpee has no local bylaw on backyard fire pits; state rules apply, and fires on any beach are banned unless the Select Board approves and the Fire Department issues a written permit.
| Brush burning season | January 15 to May 1 [1] |
| Burning permit | No fee; Fire Department Headquarters, 20 Frank Hicks Drive [2] |
| Hours (state fact sheet) | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. [3] |
| Distance from dwellings (state fact sheet) | At least 75 ft [3] |
| Never allowed | Grass, hay, leaves, stumps, tires [4] |
| Outdoor cooking | Allowed year-round; not subject to open-burning limits [5] |
| Beach fires | Prohibited without Select Board approval and a Fire Department written permit [6] |
Brush burning
The Fire Department's Open Burning page says open burning of brush runs from January 15 to May 1 [1], and burning permit applications (no fee) are available at Fire Department Headquarters, 20 Frank Hicks Drive [2]. The page notes that the rules come from the state (MassDEP and M.G.L. c. 148, §13) and are enforced locally; residents are encouraged to burn early in the season while there's snow on the ground.
Conditions
The town links a MassDEP fact sheet (dated 2005, so check the current state rules) for the details. It says you may burn brush, cane, driftwood, forestry debris and tree prunings only with fire department permission, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when winds are light, at least 75 feet from all dwellings, and on your own property near where the material came from [3]. Grass, hay, leaves, stumps and tires can never be burned [4]. Someone must attend the fire until it is completely out, with a hose or other water supply and a shovel or rake on hand.
Fire pits and cooking fires
Mashpee's bylaws we reviewed have no rule on backyard fire pits, chimineas or recreational fires. The state fact sheet says outdoor cooking is allowed year-round and isn't subject to open-burning limits [5]; a fire pit used for anything other than cooking falls under the state open-burning rules. Near wetlands, the Conservation Commission's regulations list outdoor fireplaces and fire pits among residential appurtenances that can need review.
Beaches
Under General Bylaw §54-4, fires on all beaches are prohibited unless the Select Board approves and the Fire Department issues a special written permit [6].
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Next steps
- Pick up a free burning permit application at Mashpee Fire Department Headquarters, 20 Frank Hicks Drive, before the season (Jan 15 to May 1).
- On the day you plan to burn, confirm that burning is allowed (the Fire Department decides daily based on conditions).
- Burn only brush, 75+ ft from any dwelling, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., with water and a rake on hand.
- For a beach fire, get Select Board approval and a written Fire Department permit first.
Common questions
- When can you burn brush in Mashpee, MA?
- Only from January 15 to May 1, with a free burning permit from the Fire Department. The state fact sheet the town links allows burning between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when winds are light, at least 75 feet from all dwellings.
- How do I get a burn permit in Mashpee, Massachusetts?
- Burning permit applications, with no fee, are available at Fire Department Headquarters, 20 Frank Hicks Drive. On the day you plan to burn, confirm that burning is allowed.
- Are fire pits allowed in Mashpee, Massachusetts?
- Mashpee's bylaws we reviewed have no rule on backyard fire pits. Under state rules outdoor cooking is allowed year-round, but a fire pit used for anything other than cooking falls under the open-burning rules.
- Can you have a fire on the beach in Mashpee, Massachusetts?
- Not without approval. Fires on all beaches are prohibited unless the Select Board approves and the Fire Department issues a special written permit.
- Can I burn leaves in Mashpee, Massachusetts?
- No. Grass, hay, leaves, stumps and tires can never be burned; only brush and similar materials are allowed in season.
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
- Open Burning, Fire & Rescue - Open Burning page
Open burning of brush will start on January 15 and end on May 1.
- Open Burning, Fire & Rescue - Open Burning page
Burning Permit applications (no fee) can be obtained at the Fire Department Headquarters station, 20 Frank Hicks Drive
- What can be burned and under what conditions?, Answers to Your Open Burning Questions (MassDEP fact sheet posted by Mashpee Fire), p. 1
In most of the state's towns and cities, homeowners are allowed to this debris between January 15 and May 1, so long as the open burning takes place: with the permission of the local fire department; between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; when the air is circulating well but winds are light; no less than 75 feet away from all dwellings; and on your own property and as close as possible to the source of material(s) to be burned.
- What types of open burning are not allowed?, Answers to Your Open Burning Questions (MassDEP fact sheet posted by Mashpee Fire), p. 2
There are no circumstances under which it is legal to burn grass, hay, leaves, stumps or tires.
- What other types of outdoor fires are allowed?, Answers to Your Open Burning Questions (MassDEP fact sheet posted by Mashpee Fire), p. 2
Outdoor cooking is allowed year-round in all communities and is not subject to open burning limits.
- §54-4 Fires Prohibited, Town of Mashpee General Bylaws / Town Code (2026 edition, updated as of the May 4, 2026 Town Meeting), p. 71
Setting or maintaining fires on all beaches is prohibited, except on approval of the Select Board and by special written permit therefore issued by the Mashpee Fire Department.