Backyard fires in Red Rock
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Red Rock, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Open-air burning in Red Rock requires an annual fire permit under By-law 2020-1211. Fires may be ignited no earlier than 2 hours before sunset and must be extinguished by 2 hours after sunrise, tended by a responsible adult, less than 0.1 ha in area, at least 2 metres from any wooden structure or combustible material, and only clean materials may be burned.
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
Permits may be cancelled or suspended by the Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief for smoke nuisance complaints or unsafe conditions; Red Rock is in the Thunder Bay fire region and the provincial Restricted Fire Zone layer may apply.
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 Red Rock
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.
Red Rock backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Red Rock?
Open-air burning in Red Rock requires an annual fire permit under By-law 2020-1211. Fires may be ignited no earlier than 2 hours before sunset and must be extinguished by 2 hours after sunrise, tended by a responsible adult, less than 0.1 ha in area, at least 2 metres from any wooden structure or combustible material, and only clean materials may be burned. Source: Township of Red Rock, Permits (Fire, Building, Curb Cutting), last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Red Rock?
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 Red Rock today?
Permits may be cancelled or suspended by the Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief for smoke nuisance complaints or unsafe conditions; Red Rock is in the Thunder Bay fire region and the provincial Restricted Fire Zone layer may apply. 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 Red Rock?
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 Red Rock's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Red Rock?
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 Red Rock, Permits (Fire, Building, Curb Cutting), last checked 2026-07-02. Permits are issued on an annual basis and must be re-applied for each year.
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: Conmee, O’Connor, Dorion, Gillies. Or see every municipality.