Rollinsford Fire Department

Q.        “Do I need a fire permit to burn in my portable fireplace or Chimenea?”

A.        Yes.  The State of NH requires that persons wishing to kindle any fire obtain a fire permit.

Q.        “Who do I contact to get a fire permit?”

A.        Both the town clerks office and Dover Dispatch have the on-call warden list.  You may contact either office for the name and number of a fire warden.  The number for Dover Dispatch is 742-4646

Q.        “How much does a fire permit cost?”

A.        Fire permits are free.

Q.        “What am I allowed to burn?”

A.        Brush and wood cannot exceed 5 inches in diameter.  No combustible domestic waste, treated wood or composite materials may be burned.  RSA-125N defines “combustible domestic waste” as, but not limited to, household trash, packaging materials, plastics, coated or laminated papers, rubber, painted or treated wood, coated or treated cardboard, oily rags, and animal, vegetable, and kitchen waste.

Q.        “I am not the property owner, can I still get a fire permit?”

A.        Written permission from the land owner must be obtained before a permit can be issued.

Q.        “How close to a structure can I kindle a fire?”

A.        A category I fire must be at least 25’ from structures and category II or greater fires must be at least 50’ from structures.

Q.        “What is a Category I or II fire?”

A.        A Category I fire is a small controlled fire, such as a camp or cooking fire, no greater than 2’ in diameter contained within a ring of fire resistive material, or in a portable fireplace.  A category I fire, conditions permitting, may be kindled with a permit at any time of day whether raining or not.

            A category II fire means a controlled fire within a ring of fire resistive materials, no greater than 4’ in diameter.  Category II fires may only be kindled with a permit between the hours of 5 PM and 12 AM, unless actually raining.

Q.        “What happens if I violate the conditions of my permit, or burn without obtaining a permit?”

A.        Your privilege to obtain future permits could be suspended.  Other penalties could be imposed such as fines up to $2000.00 and/or up to one year in jail, or both.  More detailed guidelines are available at the fire department.

Q.        “Do I have to stay with my permit fire for the duration?”

A.        Yes.  Unless you have completely extinguished your fire, you are responsible for staying with it.  Please keep in mind that a buried fire is not an extinguished fire.

Q.        “What does the red flag on the Smokey the Bear fire danger sign mean?”

A.        You can expect to see the red flag displayed when the Division of Forests and Lands has banned burning due to high fire danger.  You may also see the flag displayed when the town fire warden has deemed it too dangerous to kindle a fire due to the high fire conditions.  Burning is not permitted during “red flag” conditions.