On Line Permits Now Available for Outside Burning in Wolfeboro

The Wolfeboro Fire-Rescue Department and the New Hampshire Forests and Lands Division is pleased to offer citizens the option to purchase open burning permits online. Through our easy online process you will be able to purchase an open burning permit 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing permits are being issued at the time.

Please read the minimum requirements on your permit carefully and make sure you have selected the proper location before starting your fire. Permits purchased for the wrong location are considered invalid. The online service is easy and payment by credit card (Mastercard, Visa, Discover) is quick and secure. You will be able to print your permit at the end of the online process. The processing fee of $5.50 is non-refundable, even in the event of weather condition changes deeming the permit invalid. Credit card charge will appear on your statement as "S3 NHFIS, Smyrna TN" (they are the third-party vendor holding the NH contract for this system).

Category I and Category II permits can be purchased either as a daily permit or a seasonal permit. You can apply for either a daily (CAT1 or CAT2) or seasonal (SCAT1 or SCAT2) by selecting the appropriate permit category type from the drop-down list during the purchasing process.  If you intend to burn for more than just one specific day, it is suggested that you choose the Seasonal option. Seasonal permits are valid through December 31 of the current year, following all the pertinent rules for the selected category burn type. Category 3 permits may be purchased on a daily basis. 

Anyone who wishes to burn clean, ordinary combustibles such as leaves, brush or untreated lumber, or have a camp or cooking fire must have written permission from the landowner and a fire permit from the local forest fire warden or local fire department in the town or city where the fire will be kindled. You must be at least 18 years of age to obtain a written fire permit.

Public or privately owned camp or picnic grounds must obtain an annual written fire permit from the town forest fire warden for use of outside fireplaces, camp or cooking fires used in the operation of the camp or picnic grounds. Such camp or cooking fires should:

-be in an area cleaned to mineral soil at least 8 feet across;

-have at least 6 inches of sand or gravel under the fire for any fire built on the ground;

-have no limbs or other burnable material to a height of 10 feet above the fireplace area; and

-be constructed so they cannot be moved from their mineral soil area.

Only leaves, woody debris or brush less than 5 inches in diameter, or untreated wood and dimension lumber (subject to Env-A 1001.05(g) below) can be burned. For any open burning a written fire permit is required. Even with the permit, no open burning is allowed between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm unless it is raining.

 When the ground where you are burning is completely covered with snow no fire permit is required. However, be sure to check local ordinances that might restrict winter-time burning.

The permittee will be required to have suppression equipment on site while the burning is being done and the fires will have to be totally extinguished or be constantly attended.

Air quality regulations restrict the type of material burned in the open. Stumps, painted or treated lumber, tires, tubes, plastics, foam rubber and shingles are some of the prohibited materials (see Department of Environmental Services, Air Resources Division Open Burning Rules). Per Env-A 1001.05(g) "On-site burning, by the owner of a private, single-family residence occupied by the owner, of untreated wood, provided the material originates on site"

Wolfeboro Fire-Rescue reserves the right to inspect any burn site at any time for any reason.

Please understand the $5.50 fee covers the cost of the third-party vendor of this on-line system. Wolfeboro Fire-Rescue and/or the Town of Wolfeboro do not receive any money for fire permits.

Please call Wolfeboro Fire-Rescue with any questions at (603) 569-1400.

Here's the link: On-Line Burn Permits