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Burn Permits

Town of Newmarket Fire Warden:
 Chief Rick Malasky
Deputy Fire Wardens:
 Asst. Chief David Bryan
 Deputy Chief Rich Clark
 Captain Steve Coffey
 Lieutenant Bill Barr
Lieutenant Bill Page
Lieutenant Dale Stein

Burn Permits Calendar

Quick Links:
 Rules and regulations for burning
 Dangers of residential trash burning
Materials that can and cannot be burned



It's the law! Fire permits are required by NH RSA 227-L7

 To obtain a burn permit:

  Burning is allowed between the hours of 5pm and 9am the next morning.

To obtain a burn permit, visit the fire station at 4 Young Lane between 7am and 4pm Monday thru Friday. When you pick up your burn permit, you will also receive a sheet listing the items that can and can not be burned along with an instruction sheet outlining the necessary steps to be followed with your burn permit.
 


It is the responsibility of the permit holder to become familiar with the rules and regulations before you do any burning. Failure to follow established regulations will result in revocation of your permit, fines, or possible jail time.

If you have any questions feel free to send an email to

Questions that need to be answered before a burn permit will be issued:

  • What is going to be burned?
     Material must be clean ordinary combustibles. Brush cannot exceed 5 inches in diameter
  • Where is it going to be burned?
    How far from the nearest structure, trees and dead vegetation or overhead phone or power lines? Fires kindled and materials burned shall be not less than 50 feet from any structure, fires in approved containers shall be not less than 25 feet from any structure
  • When do you want to burn?
    Date and time of day, no burning between 9am and 5pm unless it is raining, a permit is still required even if it is raining
  • What do you have for fire protection?
    A hose, shovel or rake, and a garden hose should be available at the fire. You are liable for the costs of extinguishing fires that get out of your control
  • How much help will you have during the burn?
    Have some help if you think you need it, your fire must be attended at all times, or completely extinguished, this means no smoke is being created, a buried fire is not extinguished!
  • Do you own the land where you plan to burn?
    If not you need written permission from the landowner
  • If your fire is declared a nuisance, will you be able to extinguish it?
    Air pollution officials could require your burn be extinguished if complaints are received due to smoke
  • Are there any tires or tubes in the material to be burned?
    These items, along with household trash are banned from burning by state law

Rules and regulations for burning:

  • Be sure your fire is completely extinguished (no smoke) by 9am, a buried fire is not an extinguished fire!
  • If the fire danger class is high 3 or higher for the day, permits will not be issued, click here for current day fire classification
  • It is the discretion of the duty Warden to determine if it is too windy to safely burn, if so, no permits will be issued
  • You must call the dispatch center before you start your burn each day to find out if burning is allowed for that day, burning on a banned day is the same as burning without a permit.
  • You must be 18 years of age to obtain a written fire permit
  • You must own the land you are burning on or provide written permission to burn from the landowner with a contact number
  • All open fires shall be constantly attended until the fire is completely extinguished.  A buried fire is not considered extinguished
  • Fires kindled and material burned shall be not less then 50 feet from any structure and provisions shall be made to prevent a fire from spreading to within 50 feet of any structure or woodlands.  Fires in approved containers shall be not less than 25 feet from any structure

A written fire permit shall be summarily suspended if any of the following fire permit restrictions are violated, and an official notice or summons shall be issued:

  • If a fire is kindled or material is burned between the hours of 9am and 5pm, except for commercial permits
  • If a fire is kindled or material is burned at an unspecified date, time, or place, or if material not specified on the written fire permit is burned
  • If a fire is kindled or material is burned when weather is unfavorable in the opinion of the issuing authority or proclamation closing the woodlands is in force
  • If a fire is kindled or material is burned when specified assistance or suppression equipment is not present to control the fire.
  • If permittee fails to keep the fire under control, or if the Director, Division of Forests and Lands, or his authorized agents or Warden feel that the material being burned is causing a hazard endangering life and/or property
  • If material being burned violates any state law, rule, or regulation or local ordinance and or New Hampshire Air Resources Division regulation regarding open burning.

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What are the dangers of residential trash burning?
  • Today's trash contains inks, dyes, chlorine, plastics, toxic metals and a variety of synthetic materials that can produce toxins when burned, especially at low temperatures and low oxygen levels typically present in burn barrels
  • Dioxin and other highly toxic chemicals are released into the air when trash is burned outdoors
  • Smoke and toxic emissions from burning residential trash stay close to the ground, affecting your family and neighbors, especially children
  • Burning trash at home can create a fire hazard and a health risk

Did you know....

Burning a week's worth of trash from a single home in an open barrel can put as much of some toxic chemicals (such as dioxin and furans) in the air as a well-controlled municipal incinerator burning the trash from thousands of homes!

Source:  US EPA Report on Barrel Burning, January 2000

STATE LAW PROHIBITS
RESIDENTIAL TRASH BURNING
EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2003

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What materials can be burned outside?
    (Only with a permit from your local fire warden)

  • Clean untreated wood

  • Leaves and brush less than 5 inches in diameter

  • Campfire wood or charcoal

  • On-premises burning for frost prevention, agricultural, forestry or wildlife habitat improvement

  • Untreated wood from the construction or demolition of a building

Penalties for burning without a permit are punishable by fines of up to $2,000 or one year imprisonment, or both. The NH Department of Resources and Economic Development has enforcement authority under RSA 227-L

What materials cannot be burned outside?

  • Household trash

  • Packaging materials

  • Coated or laminated papers

  • painted or treated wood

  • coated or treated cardboard

  • Animal, vegetable, and kitchen waste

  • Plastics

  • Rubber

  • Oily rags

Penalties for illegal burning of trash may include a warning with an explanation of the ban; fines of up to $100 for the first offense; and fines of up to $250 for subsequent offenses. The NH Department of Environmental Services has enforcement authority under RSA 125-N


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