Small Confined Fires
REGULATIONS SUMMARY
THIS IS A SUMMARY FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE. YOU MUST READ, UNDERSTAND AND FOLLOW THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OUTLINED IN BYLAW 2514.
(Permit not required)
A "small confined fire" means an open air fire that meets both of the following requirements:
- the open air fire is contained within a non-combustible base and edging and burns material in one pile no larger than 0.5 meters in height, 0.5 meters in width and 0.5 meters in length; and
- an open air fire which is lit, fueled or used for the purpose of cooking food and/or to provide heat and light associated with camping or recreation.
Small confined fires are permitted provided that all of the following conditions are met:
- Property owner has granted permission
- From 6am to Midnight
- No Fire Ban in effect. CHECK FIRE BANS
- Max 0.5m height or width
- Minimum 5m away from buildings
- Minimum 5m away from property lines
- Minimum 3m away from any combustibles
- Continuously supervised and controlled by a competent person
- Must not be a nuisance to the neighborhood or persons in the vicinity
- Must prevent sparks & cinders from igniting other combustibles
- Must have sufficient water and extinguishing tools on site
- Must completely extinguished before leaving!
Tips for burning without getting complaints!
- Remember that a "small open fire" is a recreational fire, not a chance for you to burn off your garbage or construction debris or compostable vegetation.
- You can ONLY burn natural wood. Not construction waste, not treated lumber, nothing of that sort. What you can burn includes parts of trees and other vegetation that is not compostable, including prunings, branches, trunks & stumps that have been allowed to dry for at least 180 days. NOTHING ELSE IS LEGAL TO BURN. Leaves, plants and weeds are COMPOSTABLE so do not burn them!
- Make sure your fire gets plenty of air flow which allows it to burn HOT and QUICKLY. The hotter it burns, the more complete the combustion it is, the less smoke goes into the air and thus the less complaints you will get from neighbors and the fire department. So get a small but hot fire going with your driest wood first. Once its ripping hot you can add to the fire without creating much smoke. Leaf blowers work GREAT to get a fire hot quickly, but BE CAREFUL, don't abuse the power and keep an eye open for flying embers.
- Our beautiful terrain offers many people great views, so remember that you are likely being watched at any given moment. The two things that will get you complaints are:
- Excessive Smoke
- Tall flames