Backyard fires in Alnwick/Haldimand
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Alnwick/Haldimand, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Alnwick/Haldimand requires a permit for any open-air fire other than cooking on a barbecue. Annual standard permits cost $30, campground or resort permits cost $60, and special permits cost $60. Each burn must be activated by phone before lighting, only wood or wood by-products may be burned, piles are limited to 1 m by 1 m by 1 m, and fires must be at least 15 m from any structure in built-up areas or 100 m in rural areas for brush piles. The Fire Chief can revoke permits and issue fire bans, and penalties start at $200 plus emergency-response costs.
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 may issue a fire ban for any area of the municipality, prohibiting all open-air fires during the specified period; 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 Alnwick/Haldimand
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.
Alnwick/Haldimand backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Alnwick/Haldimand?
Alnwick/Haldimand requires a permit for any open-air fire other than cooking on a barbecue. Annual standard permits cost $30, campground or resort permits cost $60, and special permits cost $60. Each burn must be activated by phone before lighting, only wood or wood by-products may be burned, piles are limited to 1 m by 1 m by 1 m, and fires must be at least 15 m from any structure in built-up areas or 100 m in rural areas for brush piles. The Fire Chief can revoke permits and issue fire bans, and penalties start at $200 plus emergency-response costs. Source: Township of Alnwick/Haldimand - Burn Permits, last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Alnwick/Haldimand?
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 Alnwick/Haldimand today?
The Fire Chief may issue a fire ban for any area of the municipality, prohibiting all open-air fires during the specified period; 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 Alnwick/Haldimand?
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 Alnwick/Haldimand's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Alnwick/Haldimand?
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 Alnwick/Haldimand - Burn Permits, last checked 2026-07-02. Annual standard permits cost $30, campground or resort permits cost $60, and special permits cost $60; each burn must be activated by phone before lighting.
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: Cobourg, Brighton, Cramahe, Hamilton. Or see every municipality.