Open Air Burning

There are four types of open air fires permitted in different parts of our municipality as outlined in the Open air fire by-law. 

Campfires

Campfires are fires without a screened mesh cover and:

• are prohibited at all times on non-waterfront properties within the urban restricted zone;
• require a seasonal permit for waterfront properties within the urban restricted zone, rural areas, and other non-restricted zones

They must:

• have a burn area less than 76 cm (30 in) wide;
• have a burn area less than 60 cm (24 in) high;
• be set on and be ringed by a non-combustible material;
• be separated from grass and any other materials that can catch fire by at least 50cm (18 in) of clean earth, sand, gravel or another non-combustible product;
• be at least 5 m (15 ft) from any property line, building, deck, porch, tree, shrub, etc.;
• have at least 5 m (15 ft) of open airspace above it;
• only be used for cooking food, providing warmth and recreational enjoyment

Screened Fire Pits

Screened fire pits are different from campfires because they are completely covered by a heavy metal screen to stop sparks and embers from escaping. They are permitted in all parts of the municipality and require a:

• permanent permit or special occasion permit in the urban restricted zone;
• seasonal permit or permanent permit for waterfront properties in the urban restricted zone, on rural and other non-restricted zone properties

They must:

• be contained in a constructed fire pit (e.g. a circular pit such as a rim);
• have a burning area less than 75 cm (29.5 in) wide;
• be covered by spark arresting heavy metal screen with openings no bigger than 1.3 cm (0.5 in);
• rest on/in and be ringed by a non-combustible material;
• be separated from grass and any material that can catch fire by a distance of at least 50 cm (18 in) of clean earth, sand, gravel or another non-combustible product;
• be at least 3 m (10 ft) from any property line, building, deck, porch, tree, shrub, etc.;
• have at least 3 m (10 ft) of open airspace above it;
• only be used for cooking food, providing warmth and recreational enjoyment

Screened Outdoor Fireplaces

Screened outdoor fireplaces are a manufactured container made of noncombustible materials and are used to burn wood for decorative purposes, e.g. chimneys. They are permitted in all areas of our municipality and require a:

• permanent permit for use non-waterfront properties in the urban restricted zone;
• seasonal permit or permanent permit for waterfront properties in the urban restricted zone, on rural and other non-restricted zone properties

They must:

• be smaller than 76 cm (30 in) tall, wide or deep;
• be completely covered by a spark arresting heavy metal screen with openings no bigger than 1.3 cm (0.5 in);
• be set on and ringed by a non-combustible material;
• be separated from grass and any other items that can catch on fire by at least 50 cm (18 in) of clean earth, sand, gravel or another noncombustible medium;
• be at least 3 m (10 ft) from any property line, building, deck, porch, tree, shrub, etc.;
• have at least 3 m (10 ft) of open airspace above it

Burn Barrels

Burn barrels are non-combustible, enclosed container barrels used to burn small branches and pieces of wood. They:

• are prohibited at all times on non-waterfront properties in the urban restricted zone;
• require a seasonal permit on waterfront properties in the urban restricted zone, on rural, and non-restricted properties

They must:

• be clean and free from chemical contamination;
• be less than 76 cm (30 in) wide;
• be less than 88 cm (35in) tall;
• be in good condition;
• be completely covered on top by a spark arresting heavy metal screen with holes no bigger than 1.3 cm (0.5 in);
• have ventilation holes in the side which are smaller than 1.3 cm (0.5 in) or covered in a spark arresting mesh;
• sit on and be ringed by a non-combustible material;
• must be separated from grass and any other vegetation or combustible material by at least 50 cm (18 in) of clean earth, sand, gravel or another noncombustible medium;
• be at least 5 m (15 ft) from any property line, building, deck, porch, tree, shrub, etc.;
• have at least 5 m (15 ft) of open airspace above it

Fires in an uncovered burn barrel have the same rules and requirements as campfires.

Open air fires must be competently supervised at all times.

Always have fire fighting equipment handy suitable for the size and type of fire such as a:

• garden hose
• shovel
• rake
• or heavy machinery

Acceptable materials to burn include:

• wood
• cardboard
• paper
• other wood by-products

Do not burn:

• compost
• plastic
• rubber
• toxic materials
• leaves
• grass
• hay
• debris from land clearing

Check the current burn ban or risk level by:

• calling the open air hotline at 1-855-943-4088; or
• on the main page of cr.burnpermits.com (no log-in is required)

Regardless of the risk level or burn ban in effect, you should always monitor for unsafe conditions. When the Fire Chief issues a partial or total fire ban you must limit your fires accordingly.

Outdoor gas appliances are permitted during all burn ban levels including:

• propane BBQs;
• gas fireplaces, fire tables and fire features

Burn ban risk level 4

Also called a partial fire ban, Level 4 prohibits all uncovered open air fires including:

• camp fires;
• uncovered burn barrels;
• fireworks (recommendation).

Burn ban risk level 5

Also called a total fire ban, Level 5 prohibits all outdoor fires including:

• wood burning barbeques;
• camp fires;
• burn barrels;
• fire pits;
• outdoor fireplaces;
• any other type of open air fire;
• fireworks (recommendation).