STONEHAM — Chief Matthew Grafton reports that the Stoneham Fire Department and Town of Stoneham officials have lifted a ban on all outdoor fires implemented earlier this month due to extreme fire conditions.
Cooler temperatures, higher relative humidity and precipitation have lessened the fire danger that led the National Weather Service to issue Red Flag fire danger warnings for Massachusetts throughout much of the past two weeks.
“The extreme risk of outdoor fires spreading and growing quickly has declined significantly,” State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said in an email to fire chiefs across the state on Monday.
While the ban on outdoor fires has been lifted in Stoneham, open burning remains illegal outside of open burning season, which runs from Jan. 15 to May 1. The outdoor burning ban covered outdoor burning that is not covered by the open burning statute, and included fires associated with fire pits, chimineas, outdoor fireplaces, and cooking and heating equipment.
Those types of fires are once again allowed, though all residents are still urged to use caution and common sense when dealing with open flames. Burning brush and yard waste remains illegal until Jan. 15 under the open burning statute.
“We are lifting our total ban on outdoor burning since fire conditions have improved significantly thanks to rainfall and changing weather conditions,” said Chief Grafton. “But despite this move, the Stoneham Fire Department still urges community members to always use caution and common sense when dealing with open flames.”
