Backyard fires in Belleville
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Belleville, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Belleville requires a burn permit before any open-air fire under Open Air Burning By-law 2025-118. A backyard campfire is capped at 1 cubic metre and must sit at least 6 metres from any building and 15 metres from the lot line, burning only between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m.; an outdoor fireplace appliance is capped at 1 metre in any direction with a 3-metre setback, same 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 city can declare a total burn ban that suspends every permit, posted on belleville.ca and the city's social channels; Belleville is in southern Ontario so the province's northern Restricted Fire Zone system doesn't apply here.
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 Belleville
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.
Belleville backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Belleville?
Belleville requires a burn permit before any open-air fire under Open Air Burning By-law 2025-118. A backyard campfire is capped at 1 cubic metre and must sit at least 6 metres from any building and 15 metres from the lot line, burning only between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m.; an outdoor fireplace appliance is capped at 1 metre in any direction with a 3-metre setback, same hours. Source: City of Belleville, Burn Permits, last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Belleville?
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 Belleville today?
The city can declare a total burn ban that suspends every permit, posted on belleville.ca and the city's social channels; Belleville is in southern Ontario so the province's northern Restricted Fire Zone system doesn't apply here. 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 Belleville?
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 Belleville's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Belleville?
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 City of Belleville, Burn Permits, last checked 2026-07-02. CSA-approved natural gas or propane fire pits don't need a permit, and which fires you can even apply for (campfires and brush fires vs. appliance-only) depends on which burn zone your property falls in, checkable on the city's zone map.
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: Bancroft, Centre Hastings, Hastings Highlands, Limerick. Or see every municipality.