Backyard fires in Adelaide-Metcalfe
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Adelaide-Metcalfe, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Adelaide Metcalfe maps out restricted and non-restricted burning areas. No open fires are allowed in restricted areas such as the villages of Adelaide, Kerwood, Napier and Walker, subdivisions and the Highway 81 commercial area, except for small cooking barbecues or with Fire Chief approval. In non-restricted areas, residents must call Fire Dispatch immediately before starting a controlled fire, burn only dry untreated wood generated on the property, supervise the fire, keep extinguishing means available, and confine burning to daylight hours.
Municipal ruleGas versus wood
Gas and propane fire pits are treated separately from open-air wood burning and are the simplest option; placement rules and any active ban still apply.
Today's fire ban
The Fire Chief can order fires extinguished and suspend open-air burning in unsafe conditions; notices are posted on the township website.
For the provincial layer, check Ontario's fire restrictions and the Forest Fire Information Map, which show Restricted Fire Zones across the fire region.
Two separate rules can stop a backyard fire in Ontario: a municipal fire ban, which any municipality can declare during a dry spell, and a provincial Restricted Fire Zone, declared only in the northern fire region. Either one overrides your normal permission, so check both before you light up.
Backyard fire safety in Adelaide-Metcalfe
Where a recreational fire is allowed, these rules keep it legal and safe almost everywhere in Ontario:
- Burn only clean, dry, untreated firewood. Never garbage, leaves, brush, or treated or painted wood.
- Keep the fire small and contained in a pit, ring, or approved appliance, not a loose pile.
- Stay well back from buildings, fences, trees, decks, and the property line.
- Keep water or an extinguisher within reach, and never leave the fire unattended.
- Watch the wind. Skip it on dry, gusty days, and soak the ashes cold before you go inside.
- Never burn during a fire ban or Restricted Fire Zone, even if you usually could.
Adelaide-Metcalfe backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Adelaide-Metcalfe?
Adelaide Metcalfe maps out restricted and non-restricted burning areas. No open fires are allowed in restricted areas such as the villages of Adelaide, Kerwood, Napier and Walker, subdivisions and the Highway 81 commercial area, except for small cooking barbecues or with Fire Chief approval. In non-restricted areas, residents must call Fire Dispatch immediately before starting a controlled fire, burn only dry untreated wood generated on the property, supervise the fire, keep extinguishing means available, and confine burning to daylight hours. Source: Township of Adelaide Metcalfe - Open Burns By-law #51-2012, last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Adelaide-Metcalfe?
Gas and propane fire pits are treated separately from open-air wood burning and are the simplest option; placement rules and any active ban still apply.
How do I know if there is a fire ban in Adelaide-Metcalfe today?
The Fire Chief can order fires extinguished and suspend open-air burning in unsafe conditions; notices are posted on the township website. For the provincial picture, check Ontario's fire restrictions page and the Forest Fire Information Map, which show Restricted Fire Zones in the fire region.
What can I burn in Adelaide-Metcalfe?
Only clean, dry, untreated firewood for a recreational fire. Burning household garbage, leaves, brush, painted or treated wood, and construction debris is prohibited across Ontario, fire ban or not.
When is fire season in Ontario?
Ontario's official fire season runs April 1 to October 31. During it the province manages wildfire and can declare a Restricted Fire Zone in the northern fire region. Municipal open-air burning rules apply all year, so check Adelaide-Metcalfe's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Adelaide-Metcalfe?
Municipalities and the province can fine illegal open-air burning, and you can be billed for the cost of fighting any fire you start. If a ban or Restricted Fire Zone is in effect, do not burn, even if you hold a permit.
Source
From Township of Adelaide Metcalfe - Open Burns By-law #51-2012, last checked 2026-07-02. Residents in non-restricted areas must contact Fire Dispatch at 519-245-1300 or 1-844-220-1300 immediately before starting a controlled fire, and burning is limited to daylight hours.
This is a plain-language summary, not the bylaw, and not legal advice. Open-air burning rules and bans change quickly, especially in dry weather. Always check your municipality's page and today's ban status before you light anything.
Other municipalities: Middlesex Centre, Southwest Middlesex, Strathroy-Caradoc, Thames Centre. Or see every municipality.