Mass. Gen. Laws » Part IV Title I Chapter 266
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 266, § 9 (2026)

Injury by fire; negligent use in town; damages

✓ text as last checked Sept. 2026 (this copy records no edition or section history)
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Section 9. Whoever, in a town which accepts this section or has accepted corresponding provisions of earlier laws, sets a fire on land which is not owned or controlled by him and before leaving the same neglects to entirely extinguish such fire, or whoever wilfully or negligently sets a fire on land which is not owned or controlled by him whereby property is endangered or injured, or whoever wilfully or negligently suffers a fire upon his own land to escape beyond the limits thereof to the injury of another, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars or by imprisonment in jail for not more than one month, or both, and shall also be liable for all damages caused thereby. Such fine shall be equally divided between the complainant and the town. This section shall not apply to cities.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 1 case, 2019–2019 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Pfeiffer, 121 N.E.3d 1130 (Mass. 2019).
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Commonwealth v. Pfeiffer, 121 N.E.3d 1130 (Mass. 2019). · cites it 2× “266, § 8 ("Whoever, not being a tenant thereof, sets or increases a fire upon land of another whereby the property of another is injured, or whoever negligently or wilfully suffers any fire upon his own land to extend beyond the limits thereof whereby the woods or property of…”
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