Backyard fires in Port Colborne
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Port Colborne, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Port Colborne allows small recreational campfires without a permit as long as they are no larger than 1 m in diameter and 0.6 m high, kept 3 m from buildings, property lines and combustibles, supervised by someone 18 or older, and extinguished by 11 p.m. Only clean seasoned wood may be burned. Non-recreational open-air burning, such as farmers burning fruit-tree clippings or brush, requires prior Fire Department notification, a site visit and permission. The Fire Chief can declare a total ban at any time.
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 may declare a complete ban of any burning of any kind at any time; notices are posted on the city website.
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 Port Colborne
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.
Port Colborne backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Port Colborne?
Port Colborne allows small recreational campfires without a permit as long as they are no larger than 1 m in diameter and 0.6 m high, kept 3 m from buildings, property lines and combustibles, supervised by someone 18 or older, and extinguished by 11 p.m. Only clean seasoned wood may be burned. Non-recreational open-air burning, such as farmers burning fruit-tree clippings or brush, requires prior Fire Department notification, a site visit and permission. The Fire Chief can declare a total ban at any time. Source: City of Port Colborne - Open Air Burning and Recreational Fires, last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Port Colborne?
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 Port Colborne today?
The Fire Chief may declare a complete ban of any burning of any kind at any time; notices are posted on the city website. 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 Port Colborne?
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 Port Colborne's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Port Colborne?
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 City of Port Colborne - Open Air Burning and Recreational Fires, last checked 2026-07-02. Failure to follow the open-air burning guidelines or burn without approval results in a fee set out in the City's Fee Schedule.
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: Fort Erie, St. Catharines, Welland, Grimsby. Or see every municipality.