Can I burn today in South Frontenac?

Two-by-law area split

By-law 2026-36: “A By-law to Regulate the Setting and Maintaining of Open Air Fires within the Districts of Loughborough, Portland and Storrington of the Township of South Frontenac.” By-law 2026-37: “A By-law to Regulate the Setting and Maintaining of Fires within the Fire Region of the Township of South Frontenac.” Schedule B/A notes to each by-law: “The Orange Line depicts the boundary of the Ontario Fire Region. ... Bedford District of the Township of South Frontenac is located within the Ontario Fire Region.”

No permit system — general conditions govern instead (By-law 2026-36, s.6.4)

No Person shall cause or permit an Open Air Fire to be Set except in accordance with the following conditions: (a) The Open Air Fire is contained within an area of non-combustible metal, masonry, ceramic or stone or is contained within a pit in the ground that does not exceed 90 centimetres (3 feet) in height, width and length; (b) The Material to be Burned in the Open Air Fire is clean dry wood in a single pile and does not exceed 90 centimetres (3 feet) in height, width and length; (c) The Open Air Fire is located at a distance of not less than 5 metres (16 feet) from any building, structure, hedge, fence, overhead wiring, trees, or other combustible material or the lot line; (d) Necessary means are immediately available at the site ... to permit the fire to be Extinguished ...; and (e) There is an Adult present and in control of the Open Air Fire at all times.

Prohibited Conditions (weather trigger, no permit exemption)

“Prohibited Conditions” mean the following conditions: (a) wind speeds exceed 25 kilometers per hour, as determined and published by Environment and Climate Change Canada; (b) A smog alert/smog watch/smog advisory has been declared by Environment and Climate Change Canada and remains in effect; or (c) drought or dry weather conditions exist that increase the risk of a burn escaping containment and becoming a wildfire; (d) unavailability of Fire Response due to staffing shortage, staff fatigue, and out of service equipment such as forestry hose.

Agricultural Fire conditions (Schedule A, 2026-36)

No Person shall Set an Agricultural Fire ... unless all of the following conditions are met: (a) South Frontenac Fire & Rescue shall be contacted ... at least three business days prior to the setting of an Agricultural Fire to determine upon inspection whether approval shall be granted to permit the Agricultural Fire; (b) Generally, the Agricultural Fire shall be Set at a distance of no less than 90 metres (295 feet) ...; (c) The Material to be Burned shall not exceed 6 metres (20 feet) in height, 6 metres (20 feet) in width and 6 metres (20 feet) in length ...; (d) The Agricultural Fire is Set not earlier than two hours before sunset and is extinguished not later than two hours after sunrise the following day ...

Level 1 Burn Ban and Total Fire Ban definitions

“Level 1 Burn Ban” means a period of time declared by the Fire Chief during which the setting of fireworks is prohibited and during which certain conditions, as prescribed in this By-Law or established by the Fire Chief from time to time, apply to Open Air Fires; ... “Total Fire Ban” means a period of time declared by the Fire Chief during which the Setting of fireworks and all Open Air Fires ... are prohibited, but does not include Outdoor Appliances with mechanical shut-off (i.e. propane, naphtha, and natural gas appliances), smokers, Barbecues, and charcoal appliances.

Offence and penalty provisions

A person who is convicted of a first offence under this By-law is liable, for each day or part of a day that the offence continues to a maximum fine of no more than $5,000. The total of all daily fines imposed for the continuing offence may exceed $100,000. A person who is convicted of a second or subsequent offence ... to a maximum fine of no more than $10,000.

Fire Region rules — permit-free, but statute-layered (By-law 2026-37)

A person may start or tend a Fire during a Fire Season in area outside a Restricted Fire Zone if, (a) the person is burning piled wood, brush, leaves or discarded wood by-products; (b) a responsible person is available to tend the fire until it is extinguished; (c) the material is burned in a single pile that is less than two metres in diameter and less than two metres high; (d) the fire is started not earlier than two hours before sunset and is extinguished not later than two hours after sunrise the following day; (e) the fire is at least two metres from any flammable materials; and (f) the person tending the fire has tools or water adequate to contain the fire within the fire site.

No Fires in Restricted Fire Zone without MNR permit

No Person shall cause or permit a Fire to be set in a Restricted Fire Zone, except in accordance with a permit issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources or in accordance with sections 8.2 and 8.3 of this By-Law.