Backyard fires in Southwold
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in Southwold, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
Campfires or cooking/heating fires in a small contained area no larger than 1 metre, using clean dry firewood and attended by a competent adult with extinguishing equipment, are allowed without a permit in all areas of Southwold. Open-air burn permits are required for other burning in approved rural areas and are not issued for the built-up areas of Fingal, Shedden, Iona, Iona Station, Talbotville and Ferndale unless the property adjoins an open field.
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 are conditional and may be revoked at any time; check the Southwold Burn Permits portal or Township office for current fire restrictions. Southwold 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 Southwold
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.
Southwold backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in Southwold?
Campfires or cooking/heating fires in a small contained area no larger than 1 metre, using clean dry firewood and attended by a competent adult with extinguishing equipment, are allowed without a permit in all areas of Southwold. Open-air burn permits are required for other burning in approved rural areas and are not issued for the built-up areas of Fingal, Shedden, Iona, Iona Station, Talbotville and Ferndale unless the property adjoins an open field. Source: Township of Southwold, Burn Permits page, last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in Southwold?
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 Southwold today?
Permits are conditional and may be revoked at any time; check the Southwold Burn Permits portal or Township office for current fire restrictions. Southwold 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 Southwold?
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 Southwold's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in Southwold?
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 Southwold, Burn Permits page, last checked 2026-07-02. Apply for burn permits free of charge online at southwold.burnpermits.com or call the Township office at (519) 769-2010.
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: Aylmer, Central Elgin, Dutton/Dunwich, Malahide. Or see every municipality.