Fire Permits

2024 OPEN AIR BURNING PERMITS ARE NOW AVAILABLE

The Municipality of Greenstone strives to keep everyone safe with fire safety and fire prevention measures.  A By-Law has been passed to regulate Open Air Burning in the Municipality of Greenstone (Being a by-law to regulate Open Air Fires and Outdoor Furnace Fires in order that ratepayers may make use of fire without detriment to themselves or their neighbours or the environment.)

The Open Air Burn By-Law 22-47 separates open air burns into the two categories, recreational (campfires, chimeneas, firepits, etc.) and non-recreational (brush piles, grass, discarded wood products). Permits are required for both types of open air burns. There is currently no fee for a recreational burn and a minimal fee for a non-recreational burn.

All permits will be registered using the website: greenstone.burnpermits.com

All burns are only permitted after receiving your permit number and a permit is to be obtained for each type of open air burn and only one fire is permitted to be actively burning at one time. Burn permits are required for each address a ratepayer owns, including camps, cottages, etc. 

CREATE AN ACCOUNT - GREENSTONE BURN PERMITS

When do I need a fire permit?

You need a fire permit if you want to start or maintain any open fire in Greenstone, under the open air burning by-law. This includes the use of fire pits, chimeneas or other outdoor fireplaces within Greenstone.

Permits must be readily available, either paper or digital, upon the request of the Chief Fire Official or designate.

The Province of Ontario provides information for Outdoor Fire Rules and Permits.

How to apply

To apply for a fire permit, please visit the Greenstone Burn Permit Website or a Municipal Office.

An email address or a cell phone number is required. 

For more information about fire permits, contact our Director of Fire Services/Fire Chief or call 807-854-1100 ext. 2007.

Restricted fire zones

Before you have an outdoor fire, learn about the restricted fire zones within the Greenstone community that are issued by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF).

Please call 1(844) 565-0095 to hear current burning conditions, including Fire Risk Level and Fire Ban Status. 

For more information, contact our Director of Fire Services/Fire Chief or call 807-854-1100 ext. 2007.

recreational fire permit terms and conditions

• All open air burning shall be confined to either an open air burning device (Barrel, Chiminea, etc) or in a fire pit with a burn area no larger than one (1) cubic metre, unless approved by the Chief Fire Official.
• No Person shall start a fire not earlier than two hours before sunset and is extinguished not later than two hours after sunrise the following day, or earlier, during the fire season, unless the campfire is used for cooking or warmth.
• Only dry seasoned wood or wood by products and Class “A” materials shall be used to fuel any open-air burning or campfires.
• Every reasonable step shall be taken to ensure that adjacent properties and individuals are protected from any hazard and are not adversely affected by the products of combustion.
• Only the property Owner or agent shall apply for a fire permit. The agent must have written permission from the property Owner to apply for a fire permit.
• Every person conducting an open air burn or campfire shall confine the fire to a location that provides for a minimum distance of ten (10) feet from combustible structures, objects & forest, if applicable.
• Every person conducting an open air burn or campfire shall have immediately available for use an effective extinguishing agent or device of sufficient size and with the capability of extinguishing the fire.
• No person shall conduct more than one open air burn or campfire per residence.
• No person shall set out an open-air fire during a restricted fire zone or a municipal fire ban.
• No person shall start a fire outdoors unless conditions will allow the fire to burn safely from start to extinguishment.
• No person who starts a fire outdoors shall leave the fire without leaving a competent person in charge of the fire.
• No person shall ignite or release into the air, an ignited Flying Lantern within the Municipality of Greenstone.
• No person shall conduct an open air burn or campfires upon any land owned by the Municipality without having first obtained written permission to do so from the Chief Fire Official.
• No person shall start or tend a fire outdoors except on land they legally occupy, or they have the written permission of the person who has lawful occupation of the property on which the fire is started.
• Persons setting any fire within the Municipality shall ensure that they can, if needed, summon assistance from the Fire Department.

If the Fire Department attends a fire for public safety concerns due to fire hazard, whether in response to a complaint or otherwise, the Chief Fire Official has the discretion to order the fire extinguished and/or brought into compliance with this By-law and this order shall be final. Any person conducting such fire and the owner shall comply with the order of the Chief Fire Official. If the person conducting the fire or the owner fails to comply as directed, the Chief Fire Official may take action to have the fire extinguished or otherwise brought into compliance, and that person and/or the owner may be held liable for any and all costs incurred by the Fire Department to extinguish the fire or bring it into compliance. Where applicable, such costs shall be calculated in accordance with the Fees By-law.

Fireworks permit

If you're considering putting on a firework display for a social event, you will need to complete an application to hold a fireworks display.

Please submit these forms to our Municipal Office by either email or in-person at our office located at 1800 Main Street in Geraldton.

To access our fireworks bylaw, please contact us.