Backyard fires in Hawkesbury
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Hawkesbury, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Hawkesbury requires a burning permit from the Fire Chief for any open-air fire under By-law N45-2024, up to 1 cubic metre of material, kept at least 30 metres from buildings or standing timber, burned only during daylight hours, with neighbours notified beforehand. A small confined fire in a properly installed exterior fireplace does not need a permit, as long as it sits at least 5 metres from combustible material or structures and 3 metres from property lines.
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, police chief or a by-law officer can cancel or suspend any burning permit at any time, and permit holders must put the fire out immediately once notified; the town posts active fire bans on its news page (a total fire ban limited to gas and propane appliances was in effect in parts of 2025). Hawkesbury sits in eastern Ontario outside the province's Restricted Fire Zone.
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 Hawkesbury
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.
Hawkesbury backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Hawkesbury?
Hawkesbury requires a burning permit from the Fire Chief for any open-air fire under By-law N45-2024, up to 1 cubic metre of material, kept at least 30 metres from buildings or standing timber, burned only during daylight hours, with neighbours notified beforehand. A small confined fire in a properly installed exterior fireplace does not need a permit, as long as it sits at least 5 metres from combustible material or structures and 3 metres from property lines. Source: Town of Hawkesbury, By-law N45-2024 (open air fires), last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Hawkesbury?
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 Hawkesbury today?
The Fire Chief, police chief or a by-law officer can cancel or suspend any burning permit at any time, and permit holders must put the fire out immediately once notified; the town posts active fire bans on its news page (a total fire ban limited to gas and propane appliances was in effect in parts of 2025). Hawkesbury sits in eastern Ontario outside the province's Restricted Fire Zone. 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 Hawkesbury?
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 Hawkesbury's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Hawkesbury?
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 Hawkesbury, By-law N45-2024 (open air fires), last checked 2026-07-02. Apply through the Hawkesbury Fire Department, which can require a site inspection before issuing a permit, and no open-air fires are allowed at all in the town's central business or built-up urban area.
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: Alfred and Plantagenet, East Hawkesbury, Russell, The Nation Municipality. Or see every municipality.