Massachusetts · Hampden County
Hampden County burn ban
Massachusetts keeps no single statewide burn ban list, so nobody — including us — can show you a live Hampden County status on one page. Here's who declares a ban here and where today's answer lives.
Who declares a burn ban here
Massachusetts allows open burning only January 15 through May 1, by permit from your local fire department — and each department decides day by day whether it's a burn day. Outside the season, brush burning is simply not allowed.
Where to check Hampden County today
- Statewide: Mass.gov carry the statewide picture.
- Locally: Hampden County's own channels come first — the courthouse, the fire marshal or emergency manager, the sheriff's office, and the county's website or public notices. A local declaration is posted there before it shows up anywhere else.
- Before you strike a match: your local fire department can tell you in one phone call whether burning is allowed today and whether you need a permit.
Rules change fast in dry weather — confirm with the Hampden County fire marshal or burn line before you light.
How dry is it out there
Burn bans follow dry ground, and 18% of Massachusetts is in drought this week. See the Massachusetts drought page — it's usually the best clue to where bans are headed.
Burning on public land instead? County rules stop at the boundary — check the forest's fire restrictions and what stage 1 and stage 2 mean.