Backyard fires in Southwest Middlesex
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Southwest Middlesex, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Recreational fires in an approved open burning device or pit up to 2 feet by 2 feet do not need Fire Chief permission and may burn between 10 a.m. and midnight, using only charcoal, briquettes or clean dry seasoned wood, with a mesh screen cover, 3 m from adjacent properties and 8 m from combustible structures. All other open-air burns require Fire Chief permission, with rural brush burns requiring 24-hour notice and 45 m setbacks from buildings.
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 order any fire extinguished for safety reasons or declare restrictions; check with the Municipality for current burn status. Southwest Middlesex is outside Ontario's provincial Restricted Fire Zone layer.
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 Southwest Middlesex
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.
Southwest Middlesex backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Southwest Middlesex?
Recreational fires in an approved open burning device or pit up to 2 feet by 2 feet do not need Fire Chief permission and may burn between 10 a.m. and midnight, using only charcoal, briquettes or clean dry seasoned wood, with a mesh screen cover, 3 m from adjacent properties and 8 m from combustible structures. All other open-air burns require Fire Chief permission, with rural brush burns requiring 24-hour notice and 45 m setbacks from buildings. Source: Municipality of Southwest Middlesex, By-law No. 2021/081 Open Air Burning Regulation, last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Southwest Middlesex?
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 Southwest Middlesex today?
The Fire Chief may order any fire extinguished for safety reasons or declare restrictions; check with the Municipality for current burn status. Southwest Middlesex is outside Ontario's provincial Restricted Fire Zone layer. 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 Southwest Middlesex?
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 Southwest Middlesex's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Southwest Middlesex?
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 Municipality of Southwest Middlesex, By-law No. 2021/081 Open Air Burning Regulation, last checked 2026-07-02. Special-event permits require one week's notice on a Township form; rural brush burns require notifying the Fire Chief 24 hours in advance.
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: Adelaide-Metcalfe, Middlesex Centre, Strathroy-Caradoc, Thames Centre. Or see every municipality.