Backyard fires in Brockville
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Brockville, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Brockville allows outdoor fireplace-style backyard fires without a paid permit, but every installation must be inspected and approved by the Brockville Fire Department before its first use. Rules include a 1.2-metre clearance from anything combustible, a spark-arrester chimney, a non-combustible pad underneath, clean dry wood only (no pressure-treated wood, plastics, rubber or garbage), and constant supervision while burning.
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
Use is only allowed when the local fire danger rating is in the green zone; the department can order a burn ban during drier stretches, which shows up on brockvillefire.ca and the city's channels and applies even to already-approved appliances. Brockville is in eastern Ontario, south of the province's northern Restricted Fire Zone region, so that layer 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 Brockville
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.
Brockville backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Brockville?
Brockville allows outdoor fireplace-style backyard fires without a paid permit, but every installation must be inspected and approved by the Brockville Fire Department before its first use. Rules include a 1.2-metre clearance from anything combustible, a spark-arrester chimney, a non-combustible pad underneath, clean dry wood only (no pressure-treated wood, plastics, rubber or garbage), and constant supervision while burning. Source: Brockville Fire Department, Outdoor Fireplaces, last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Brockville?
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 Brockville today?
Use is only allowed when the local fire danger rating is in the green zone; the department can order a burn ban during drier stretches, which shows up on brockvillefire.ca and the city's channels and applies even to already-approved appliances. Brockville is in eastern Ontario, south of the province's northern Restricted Fire Zone region, so that layer 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 Brockville?
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 Brockville's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Brockville?
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 Brockville Fire Department, Outdoor Fireplaces, last checked 2026-07-02. There's no fee for the approval and it isn't described as a formal permit, but an unapproved or non-compliant fire can bring charges under the Ontario Fire Code, and neighbours can file a complaint online if a fire is causing a problem.
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: Prescott, Athens, Augusta, Edwardsburgh/Cardinal. Or see every municipality.