Outdoor Fire Permits

 Rules & Regulations

The who, what’s and the when’s

 Online Fire Permits Now Available Link

Burn Permits (Seasonal and Daily Category 1 and 2) are available online!

To obtain a fire permit online, please follow this link to the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands. Permits obtained through the NHDFL website are fee-based and require a credit card for payment:

Online Burn Permitting System

Note: The online permitting system charges a small administrative / transaction fee ($5.50), which supports the development and maintenance of the system, and not to the Town of Tuftonboro or the State of NH.  There is NO COST if permits are obtained in person at the General Store or Central Fire Station.

Outdoor fire permits are accessible in three locations:

  • Online: www.nhfirepermit.com (Category I & II, Daily or Seasonal)
  • Tuftonboro General Store: 150 Middle Rd. Ctr Tuftonboro (Cat I, II & III Daily ONLY)
  • Tuftonboro Fire Central Station: 189 Middle Rd. Ctr. Tuftonboro (ALL Permits)

Seasonal Permits are only available for small campfires (Category I & II) Both Cat I & II permits require being kindled within a fire-resistive ring.  Even with a seasonal fire permit, you must notify Fire Dispatch each time a fire is kindled.  Fire Dispatch is a division of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

(Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, 603-539-2262)

Remember Only You Can Prevent Wildfires!

 

When is a Fire Permit Required:

  • All outside fires with the exception of charcoal and gas require a permit in the State of New Hampshire.    
  • When the area within a 100-foot radius from the fire edge is covered with snow or other frozen precipitation sufficient to prevent the combustion of woodland fuels until the fire is completely extinguished, a fire permit is not required. 
  • Every person, firm or corporation who kindles or causes to be kindled any fire or burns or causes to be burned any material, except when the ground is covered with snow, SHALL obtain a written fire permit
  • A permit is required even when it is actively raining.

 


 

Who is Eligible for an Outside Fire:

  • The permittee must be at least 18 years old and the legal landowner, or have the landowners’ written approval.
  • The property owners’ designee (anyone other than the legal property owner) with written permission from the property owner, including when there is a 100-foot radius of complete snow cover around the fire.

Click Here for the Non-Property Owner Authorization Form

 


 

Permitted Kindling times: 

  • Fires may only be kindled after 5:00 p.m. and must be extinguished before 9:00 a.m. With three exceptions:  
  1. Category I (Campfire/cooking) permits (under 2ft in diameter) are permitted to be burned anytime as long as the daily fire danger supports.
  2. When there is continuous rainfall, however, the fire must be extinguished when the rain stops.
  3. Anytime there is a 100-foot radius of complete snow cover around the fire.

 


 

Permissible materials to be burned:

  • Only clean, untreated or non-contaminated wood, untreated pallets, campfire wood, brush, or charcoal is allowed to be burned.
  • Brush and wood SHALL NOT exceed 5 inches in diameter.
  • No household waste, treated wood or composite materials may be burned.
  • No construction debris may be burned.
  • No accelerants, tires, or tubes are to be used in the material being burned.

 


 

Permit Categories:

  • A Category I Fire is a camp or cooking fire no greater than 2 ft. in diameter contained within a fire-resistive ring. A Category I fire must be at least 25’ from structures. This would also include commercially made fire pits, chimneys and outdoor fireplaces. These fires may be kindled at any time, conditions permitting. Seasonal permits available.
  • Category II Fire is a camp or cooking fire no greater than 4 ft. in diameter contained within a fire-resistive ring. A Category II or greater fire must be at least 50’ from structures. These fires may only be kindled between the hours of 5:00 pm and 9:00 am unless it is actively raining or the ground is snow-covered. Seasonal permits available.
  • Category III Fire means any other fire that is greater than 4 ft. in diameter or any fire not contained in a fire-resistive ring, such as an open brush/debris pile fire. A Category III fire must be at least 50’ from structures. These fires may only be kindled between the hours of 5:00 pm and 9:00 am unless it is actively raining or the ground is snow-covered. No Seasonal permits, a new permit is required daily, with the ability for the warden to issue the permit for a max of 7 days at their discretion.

 


 

Definitions:

  • Permittee – means a landowner or a person having written permission from the landowner.  The permittee must be 18 years of age or older.
  • Permission – no person shall kindle a fire upon the land of another without written permission from the owner, agent or caretaker thereof.
  • Kindle – means from the point of ignition to the time of complete extinguishment.
  • Completely extinguished – means to extinguish so that it emits no smoke, heat or flames. The term does not include a buried fire.
  • Attended – means that an individual responsible for the fire and capable of extinguishing the fire is on the same property as the fire, is able to immediately extinguish the fire, and has the fire in plain view.
  • Raining – means sustained precipitation that is actively occurring of sufficient intensity and duration so as to prevent fire from spreading in woodland fuels.
  • Seasonal Permit – means a permit issued on an annual basis for a category I or II fire.
  • Specified Material – The ONLY material to be burned under this permit is clean, untreated wood or brush less than 5 inches in diameter, and meets applicable air resources regulations.

 


 

Additional Outdoor Burning Resources: