The local open burning season is scheduled to begin on Sunday, November 1.

Open burning permits, which are required for the activity, will start being issued on Monday, October 26, at the fire marshal’s office at Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street. Office hours for the fire marshal are 8 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. The permits cost $5.

Permits are issued for the burning of brush only, whose trunk size is a maximum three inches in diameter.

After receiving an open burning permit, permit holders must contact the town’s dispatch center at 203-270-4200 on the day of the scheduled open burning to learn if weather conditions allow such activity on that day. Permit holders will be asked for their name and for the address of their planned burn.

All burning permits are cancelled when the forest fire danger is listed as high or extreme, and on days  when wind speed is greater than 15 mph. On scheduled open burning days, there must be a wind between five and 15 miles per hour.

Burning permits are issued for a one-day period. At the fire marshal’s discretion, permits may be issued for more than one day for special circumstances, with the understanding that the permit holder will contact the dispatch center on each day before burning starts.

For more information contact the fire marshal’s office at 203-270-4370.