Backyard fires in The Nation Municipality
Whether a backyard fire or fire pit is allowed in The Nation Municipality, Ontario, the permit rule, coverage level, and how to check today's fire ban.
The Nation Municipality allows open-air fires under its Open Air-Fires By-law. A fire permit is required before igniting any open-air fire with a base larger than 1 m². Residents must follow safety rules, avoid burning during strong winds or burn bans, keep extinguishing means nearby, and never leave a fire unattended.
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
A municipal burn ban may be declared; do not burn during strong winds, dry conditions, or when a ban is in effect.
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 Nation Municipality
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.
The Nation Municipality backyard fire questions
Can I have a backyard fire in The Nation Municipality?
The Nation Municipality allows open-air fires under its Open Air-Fires By-law. A fire permit is required before igniting any open-air fire with a base larger than 1 m². Residents must follow safety rules, avoid burning during strong winds or burn bans, keep extinguishing means nearby, and never leave a fire unattended. Source: The Nation Municipality - Outdoor Fires and Fire Bans, last checked 2026-07-02.
Are gas or propane fire pits allowed in The Nation Municipality?
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 The Nation Municipality today?
A municipal burn ban may be declared; do not burn during strong winds, dry conditions, or when a ban is in effect. 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 The Nation Municipality?
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 The Nation Municipality's by-law any time of year.
What happens if I have a fire during a ban in The Nation Municipality?
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 The Nation Municipality - Outdoor Fires and Fire Bans, last checked 2026-07-02. Fires with a base of 1 m² or smaller appear exempt from the permit requirement.
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: Alfred and Plantagenet, East Hawkesbury, Russell, Casselman. Or see every municipality.