The State of New Hampshire requires all persons to obtain a fire permit before starting ANY outside fire unless the ground is covered with snow for an area at least 100 feet from where the fire will be. This must be done prior to starting the fire rain or shine. There are three types of permits available. A category 3 fire permit allows the burning of brush up to 5 inches in diameter and clean, untreated lumber. NO painted, stained or pressure treated material may be burned. No plywood, cardboard or furniture may be burned. The pile should be of a size manageable to the individual burning it. It should be at least 50 feet from any building. A hose or some other means of fire control will need to be provided. Category 3 fires may only be burned between 5:00 PM and 9:00 AM or when it is raining. A permit is still required even if it is raining.

A category 1 fire permit allows the kindling of a fire in an enclosure no bigger than 2 feet in diameter for the purposes of cooking a meal or recreation. After obtaining a permit, these fires may be started at any time. A campfire or cook fire requires a proper fire pit to be built. The fire pit must be at least 25 feet from any structure. It must be constructed on mineral earth or a sand bed. A ring of stone, firebrick, or metal must be completely surround the fire. Combustible material should be removed from an area 8 feet in diameter from the fire pit. A seasonal camp fire permit may be obtained for category 1 fires. A category 2 fire permit allows the kindling of a fire in an enclosure no bigger than 4 feet in diameter. All the rules of a category 3 fire apply to this type of permit. In addition, the fire must be constructed on mineral earth or sand and be completely surrounded by a ring of noncombustible material. These added safety features allow a landowner to obtain a seasonal permit for a category

A couple of other notes… The State Division of Forests and Lands and the State Fire Marshals Office have determined that chimneas and other portable pottery or metal fireplaces constitute open burning and require a campfire permit. Gas and charcoal grills do not require permits, however cooking with charcoal in a dug pit does. To obtain one of these permits, you must be at least 18 years old and be the landowner or have written permission of the landowner. Call the Fire Warden.

The fire season in New Hampshire is usually from mid March through mid November. Prior day weather data from the National Weather Service stations is analyzed every morning and a predicted fire danger class day is determined and broadcast state wide at 10 am every day. By 2 pm the current day’s weather data has been analyzed and the actual fire danger class day is broadcast statewide. Statewide broadcasts of the 10 am predicted and 2 pm actual fire danger class day reports are done through the statewide New Hampshire Forestry radio system. Statewide broadcasts of the 10 am predicted and 2 pm actual fire danger class day reports are done through the statewide New Hampshire Forestry radio system. Broadcasts are made at the above times 7-days a week during the fire season that are received by forestry two-way communication radio equipment and scanner radios.

Division of Forests and Lands staff, local fire departments, forest fire wardens, deputy wardens, and the public (via scanner radios) are equipped to receive the broadcasts. If you would like to be kept informed at 10 am and 2 pm every day, program your scanner radio to 151.295 MHz for northern New Hampshire, and 151.445 MHz for southern New Hampshire. Also, many communities and local fire departments maintain a Smokey Bear sign with the daily fire danger class day calculated and broadcast by the Division of Forests and Lands Forest Protection Bureau.