Backyard fires in Caledon
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Caledon, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Caledon requires a burn permit for backyard fires under the Open Air, Recreational and Agricultural Fires By-law (2016-092). A Recreational permit costs $28.78 and covers most residential lots that meet minimum distance rules, with the fire kept in a non-combustible container at least 3 metres from anything that can burn. An Open Air permit ($47.60) is for half-acre-plus lots burning yard waste like limbs and branches, not grass or leaves.
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
Caledon can call a town-wide burn ban during hot, dry or windy stretches, and once it is called, no fires are allowed even with a valid permit; check the town's news page or call Fire and Emergency Services. Caledon sits in southern Ontario outside the province's Restricted Fire Zone system, so that layer does not 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 Caledon
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.
Caledon backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Caledon?
Caledon requires a burn permit for backyard fires under the Open Air, Recreational and Agricultural Fires By-law (2016-092). A Recreational permit costs $28.78 and covers most residential lots that meet minimum distance rules, with the fire kept in a non-combustible container at least 3 metres from anything that can burn. An Open Air permit ($47.60) is for half-acre-plus lots burning yard waste like limbs and branches, not grass or leaves. Source: Town of Caledon, Burn Permits, last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Caledon?
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 Caledon today?
Caledon can call a town-wide burn ban during hot, dry or windy stretches, and once it is called, no fires are allowed even with a valid permit; check the town's news page or call Fire and Emergency Services. Caledon sits in southern Ontario outside the province's Restricted Fire Zone system, so that layer does not 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 Caledon?
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 Caledon's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Caledon?
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 Caledon, Burn Permits, last checked 2026-07-02. Permits are sold online at burnpermits.caledon.ca or in person at Town Hall (Service Caledon), and agricultural permits need an inspection booked through Fire and Emergency Services first.
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: Mississauga, Brampton, Peel, Regional Municipality of, Addington Highlands. Or see every municipality.