Can I burn today in Guelph/Eramosa?

Permit required for burning outside Residential Areas (Section 2.5)

Any person wishing to engage in Open Air Burning outside of a Conservation Area and outside of a Residential Area for any purpose whatsoever, shall fill out the required Application for a Permit for Setting Open Air Fires, obtained from the Township, prior to the setting of such fire, save and except when such burning meets the requirements for a Cooking Fire, Barbeque or Recreational Burning. The applicant shall also pay the application fee as established by the Fees and Charges By-law, as amended. Permits are valid for 365 days (one year) from the date of application submission and payment, which is the time period in which applicants are permitted to burn.

Residential Area restriction (Section 2.4)

Open Air Burning, with the exception of Barbeques, Cooking Fires and the use of a Recreational Burning Devices shall not be permitted within the Residential Areas of the Township of Guelph/Eramosa, as per the definition of Residential Area outlined in this by-law.

Wind, weather and Smog Alert prohibition (Section 3.9)

Open air burning is not permitted when the wind is in such a direction or such intensity so as to reduce the visibility on any roadway or cause danger to any person or structure, or during rainy or foggy weather, or at times when a smog alert has been issued by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change for Ontario.

Drought conditions (Section 3.10)

Fires shall not be burned during periods of dry conditions or drought, as shall be specified from time to time by the Township’s Fire Department.

Setback and hours for permitted Open Air Burning (Section 4.1, 4.3)

The fire shall not be planned, lit or ignited closer than 7 m (22.9 ft) from any building, structure, hedge, fence, road, overhead wire, trees, hedges or obstruction of any kind. Fires shall be lit or ignited after 7:00 a.m. (0700 hours) and shall be extinguished by 9:00 p.m. (2100 hours).

Cooking Fire / Barbeque / Recreational Burning exemptions (Sections 5-7)

Cooking Fires are permitted within all areas in the Township and a Permit for Open Air Burning is not required for a Cooking Fire... Barbeques are permitted within all areas in the Township and a Permit for Open Air Burning is not required for a Barbeque... A Permit is not required for Recreational Burning with the use of a Recreational Burning Device within all areas in the Township or for pits specifically designed for Recreational Burning.

Complete prohibition authority (Section 11.1)

The Fire Chief may, in its absolute discretion, declare a complete prohibition against outdoor burning when the atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make such fires hazardous, which shall apply to Open Air Burning, Cooking Fires and Open Air Burning Devices. This prohibition shall not apply to Barbeques.