Backyard fires in Aurora
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Aurora, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Aurora allows small outdoor fires without a permit under its Outdoor Burning By-law (5111-09), as long as you follow the rules. Fires can only burn between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m., must be no more than 0.75 metres in diameter and 1 metre in height including the flame, and must sit at least 4 metres from your home, lot line, trees, fences, vehicles and overhead wires. The fire has to be in a proper container like a fire pit, outdoor oven or chiminea, and a garden hose has to be within reach.
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
Central York Fire Services and the town can declare a fire ban during dry, high-risk stretches, which has happened in past summers alongside neighbouring Newmarket; check the town's news page for lifted or active bans. Aurora is in York Region in the Greater Toronto Area, outside the provincial Restricted Fire Zone, which applies to the northern and central fire regions.
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 Aurora
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.
Aurora backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Aurora?
Aurora allows small outdoor fires without a permit under its Outdoor Burning By-law (5111-09), as long as you follow the rules. Fires can only burn between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m., must be no more than 0.75 metres in diameter and 1 metre in height including the flame, and must sit at least 4 metres from your home, lot line, trees, fences, vehicles and overhead wires. The fire has to be in a proper container like a fire pit, outdoor oven or chiminea, and a garden hose has to be within reach. Source: Town of Aurora, Frequently Requested By-laws (Outdoor Burning By-law), last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Aurora?
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 Aurora today?
Central York Fire Services and the town can declare a fire ban during dry, high-risk stretches, which has happened in past summers alongside neighbouring Newmarket; check the town's news page for lifted or active bans. Aurora is in York Region in the Greater Toronto Area, outside the provincial Restricted Fire Zone, which applies to the northern and central fire regions. 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 Aurora?
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 Aurora's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Aurora?
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 Town of Aurora, Frequently Requested By-laws (Outdoor Burning By-law), last checked 2026-07-02. By-law Services enforces the rules and can be reached at 905-727-3123, with an after-hours line for complaints about fires that break the setback, size or hour limits.
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: King, Newmarket, East Gwillimbury, Georgina. Or see every municipality.