WESTFIELD – The burning season began on January 15 and closes on May 1 which means this is the last week that burning permits may be issued. Weather conditions can change rapidly, especially in the spring, and fire wardens determine on a daily basis whether it is safe to conduct open burning.
Westfield Fire Chief Mary Regan
Westfield Fire Chief Mary Regan said that typically what happens in the spring is that dry spells combined with April wind can cause problems. This week, conditions are looking good wind-wise with periods of rain. The Department of Environmental Protection makes the determination on a daily basis whether to allow burning.
“We’re hopeful that the winds will stay calm, and they’ll allow it. We follow the DEP recommendations,” Chief Regan said.
In Westfield, permits can be obtained on the day a residents wishes to burn brush only or any time prior to the day you plan to burn. A permit can be obtained at headquarters on 34 Broad Street from Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. or on weekends between 8:30 and noon. There is no charge for a permit in Westfield. Once you have a permit number, you must call the fire department at 413-562-2329 between 8:30 and noon on the day you plan to burn brush only, to see if weather conditions are suitable. Fires must be 75 feet from any building and supervised at all times. All fires must be extinguished by 4 p.m.
In Blandford, permits are available online at townofblandford.com between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. In Russell, permits can be picked up at the Town hall at 65 Main Street during normal business hours, or on Saturday mornings 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at fire department headquarters, 162 Main Street.
In Huntington, permits may be obtained at the firehouse at 8 Russell Road on Thursday evening from 6 to 8 p.m., or by calling Capt. John McVeigh at 860-967-1046. Huntington charges $10 for a burn permit.
