Backyard fires in Aylmer
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Aylmer, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Aylmer lets you have a recreational backyard fire without a permit under the Open Air Burning By-law (45-08, as amended by 45-24), as long as it's wholly contained in a manufactured device like a chiminea or outdoor fireplace with a chimney, kept at least 3 metres from a structure or the property line, and burned only between 4 p.m. and midnight using clean dry wood or charcoal. A separate, more general open air burn of loose brush or wood, not in an enclosed device, does need a permit from the fire chief, and an open air cooking fire on a grill or barbecue is exempt from both.
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 declare a fire ban during dry conditions, and Aylmer has coordinated bans with Elgin County in past summers, most recently lifted in August 2025; notices go up on the town's fire ban page. Aylmer is in Elgin County in southwestern Ontario, outside the provincial Restricted Fire Zone, which only covers 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 Aylmer
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.
Aylmer backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Aylmer?
Aylmer lets you have a recreational backyard fire without a permit under the Open Air Burning By-law (45-08, as amended by 45-24), as long as it's wholly contained in a manufactured device like a chiminea or outdoor fireplace with a chimney, kept at least 3 metres from a structure or the property line, and burned only between 4 p.m. and midnight using clean dry wood or charcoal. A separate, more general open air burn of loose brush or wood, not in an enclosed device, does need a permit from the fire chief, and an open air cooking fire on a grill or barbecue is exempt from both. Source: Town of Aylmer, By-Law No. 45-08 (Open Air Burning By-law), last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Aylmer?
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 Aylmer today?
The fire chief can declare a fire ban during dry conditions, and Aylmer has coordinated bans with Elgin County in past summers, most recently lifted in August 2025; notices go up on the town's fire ban page. Aylmer is in Elgin County in southwestern Ontario, outside the provincial Restricted Fire Zone, which only covers 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 Aylmer?
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 Aylmer's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Aylmer?
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 Aylmer, By-Law No. 45-08 (Open Air Burning By-law), last checked 2026-07-02. Direct questions to the Fire Chief at 519-773-4905; a permit holder for the broader open air burn category must call fire dispatch before and after burning.
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: Central Elgin, Dutton/Dunwich, Malahide, Southwold. Or see every municipality.