Backyard fires in Ear Falls
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Ear Falls, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Ear Falls does not require fire permits for small-scale outdoor burning, but regulations must be followed. Piled brush or wood must be a single pile less than 2 m in diameter and 2 m high, lit no earlier than 2 hours before sunset and extinguished by 2 hours after sunrise, and attended by a responsible person with tools or water to contain it.
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
Campfires for cooking or warmth are allowed, but are prohibited if a provincial Restricted Fire Zone is declared. Ear Falls is in the Northwestern Ontario legislated fire region.
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 Ear Falls
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.
Ear Falls backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Ear Falls?
Ear Falls does not require fire permits for small-scale outdoor burning, but regulations must be followed. Piled brush or wood must be a single pile less than 2 m in diameter and 2 m high, lit no earlier than 2 hours before sunset and extinguished by 2 hours after sunrise, and attended by a responsible person with tools or water to contain it. Source: Township of Ear Falls, Burning Regulation Brochure 2022, last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Ear Falls?
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 Ear Falls today?
Campfires for cooking or warmth are allowed, but are prohibited if a provincial Restricted Fire Zone is declared. Ear Falls is in the Northwestern Ontario legislated fire region. 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 Ear Falls?
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 Ear Falls's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Ear Falls?
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 Ear Falls, Burning Regulation Brochure 2022, last checked 2026-07-02. Do not burn grass, leaves or piled material when winds exceed 10 km/h. For further information call the Ear Falls Fire Chief at 807-728-0992 or the municipal office.
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: Pickle Lake, Dryden, Ignace, Kenora. Or see every municipality.