Backyard fires in Bonnechere Valley
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Bonnechere Valley, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Bonnechere Valley requires a permit for any open-air fire that is not a camping fire in an approved pit. Campfires up to 2 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet are allowed year-round unless a complete fire ban is in effect, but they must be set no earlier than two hours before sunset and extinguished no later than two hours after sunrise. Open-air burns are not allowed in the Village of Eganville or Hamlet of Foymount except with Fire Chief approval.
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 issue total or partial fire bans; check the township website, fire department Facebook page, or call 613-628-3101. The township is outside the provincial fire region, so municipal bans are the local restriction.
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 Bonnechere Valley
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.
Bonnechere Valley backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Bonnechere Valley?
Bonnechere Valley requires a permit for any open-air fire that is not a camping fire in an approved pit. Campfires up to 2 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet are allowed year-round unless a complete fire ban is in effect, but they must be set no earlier than two hours before sunset and extinguished no later than two hours after sunrise. Open-air burns are not allowed in the Village of Eganville or Hamlet of Foymount except with Fire Chief approval. Source: Township of Bonnechere Valley, Open Air Burns, Burn Permits and Campfires, last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Bonnechere Valley?
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 Bonnechere Valley today?
The Fire Chief can issue total or partial fire bans; check the township website, fire department Facebook page, or call 613-628-3101. The township is outside the provincial fire region, so municipal bans are the local restriction. 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 Bonnechere Valley?
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 Bonnechere Valley's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Bonnechere Valley?
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 Bonnechere Valley, Open Air Burns, Burn Permits and Campfires, last checked 2026-07-02. Permits are obtained through the township; burn permits are typically suspended during the fire season and reissued November 1.
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: Deep River, Laurentian Hills, Admaston/Bromley, Arnprior. Or see every municipality.