MIDDLEBORO — Residents can now apply for burn permits online, part of an effort by the department to update its use of technology.

Fire Chief Owen Thompson said he hopes this will be “the first in many technology improvements’’ for the department.

Providing online permitting will save residents the time of driving to the station, the chief said, and allow them to order a permit from home.

In addition to saving the residents time, allowing permits to be obtained online keeps the dispatcher focused on the task at hand _ answering calls for service _ without distraction, Thompson said.

By dividing a dispatcher’s time between calls and administrative tasks such as the permits, Thompson said “there’s a potential to miss a call or valuable information.’’

Open burning season runs through May 1. A permit is required for open burning by state law.

Residents will receive an email notifying them when the permit is approved, following receipt of payment.

In person burn permits can still be obtained at headquarters during normal business hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. “We’re not going to deny anyone at the station,’’ Thompson said. 

About 1,000 burn permits were issued last year, he said.

If conditions are unsafe for burning, such as high winds or drought, a notification will be posted on the homepage at Middleborough.firepermits.com.

Open burning must be done between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Jan. 15 to May 1. Burning must be done at least 75 feet from all buildings and as close as possible to the source of the material being burned. 

Residents are allowed to burn: brush, cane, driftwood and forestry debris (but not from commercial or industrial land clearing); agricultural materials including fruit tree and bush prunings, raspberry stalks, and infected bee hives for disease control; trees and brush from agricultural land clearing and fungus-infected elm wood, if no other acceptable means of disposal is available

Residents may not burn leaves; brush, trees, cane or driftwood from commercial or industrial land clearing; grass, hay, leaves, stumps or tires; construction materials or demolition debris and household trash.

To help prevent wildfires, burn early in the season, the department advises. Wet and snowy winter conditions help slow the rapid spread of fire on or under the ground. Changing weather conditions and increased fire danger in the spring can lead to many days when open burning is not allowed.

April is usually the worst month for brush fires. When snow recedes, but before new growth emerges, last year’s dead grass, leaves and wood are dangerous tinder. Winds also tend to be strong and unpredictable in April.

To obtain an online burn permit, visit middleborough.firepermits.com. The cost of the permit is $10. Payments should be made online with a credit or debit card or by electronic check. Individuals who don’t have access to a computer should call the Middleboro Fire Department at (508) 946-2461 for assistance with their burn permit application. For more information on open burning in Massachusetts, visit mass.gov.