Backyard fires in The Archipelago

Gas 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

EXTREME rating triggers a total fire ban; HIGH rating bans open burning except contained cooking/warmth campfires.

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 The Archipelago

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.