Open Burning Season Extended To June 1

The local open burning season will be extended to June 1, according to the town fire marshal’s office.

Due to near-drought conditions that occurred earlier this spring, open burning often was prohibited and thus the season is being extended now that rainfall has improved the conditions for open burning.

Open burning permits, which are required for the activity, are issued at the fire marshal’s office at Newtown Municipal Center at 3 Primrose Street. Permits cost $5. Office hours for the fire marshal are 7 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

After receiving an open burning permit, permit holders must contact the town’s emergency dispatch center at 203-270-4200 on the day of the scheduled open burning to learn if weather conditions allow such activity that day.

Open burning permits are intended for the burning of brush only, whose trunk size is no larger than three inches in diameter. Open burning must be attended to at all times when burning is underway.

Open burning is not allowed in wooded areas. Open burning must be done at least 100 feet away from wooded areas, dried grass, and property lines.

On the day scheduled for open burning, winds must range from five to 15 miles per hour.

Open burning permits will be canceled on days when the forest fire danger is listed as High, Very High, or Extreme, and also during high winds. Open burning areas must be extinguished by 5 pm on the day of the permit.

Prohibited is the open burning of cut trees, stumps, roots, leaves, grass, construction materials, and garbage.

The town inspects the site of planned open burning before that burning may occur. For details on open burning permits, contact the fire marshal’s office at 203-270-4370.

Information on forest fire danger levels is available on the town website at www.newtown-cut.gov. That information may be obtained by clicking on the Smokey Bear icon on the lower right side of the home page.