Fire permits

Township of Severn’s Open-Air Burning By-law regulates the issuing of fire permits, the size of fires and materials you can burn within an open-air fire.

We issue two types of fire permits:

  • fire permit for all fires 61 cm in diameter or less (purchase online and receive your permit by email)
  • agricultural fire permit for larger burns (our staff will need to visit the site to approve the permit)

With either type of permit, you can only burn tree branches or clean dry wood. You are not allowed to burn leaves or garden waste in an open-air fire. Instead, you can dispose of yard waste through the County of Simcoe's yard waste and leaf pick up program.

Fees

Fire permit fees vary depending on the size and type of fire:

  • $25 for an annual fire permit (valid until December 31 of the year the permit is issued)
  • $75 for an agricultural fire permit (must purchase a new permit for each agricultural burn)

Purchase your residential fire permit online

Please complete this application if you'd like to undertake open-air burning that is 61 cm x 61 cm (24” x 24”) or less. The approved burn permit will be valid until December 31 of the year the permit is issued.

Before you make a payment, please make sure that your property is located in the Township of Severn. You can double-check by entering your address into our Interactive Zoning Map.

You can pay for your annual fire permit online with Mastercard, Visa, or Visa debit only (we do not accept credit cards other than Mastercard or Visa). After purchasing your fire permit online, your permit will be sent directly to you by email. The permit must be displayed when burning and should be available upon request from members of Severn Fire and Emergency Services or Township staff. 

Purchase your residential fire permit

Fire permits can also be purchased at our Administration Office (1024 Hurlwood Lane) during regular business hours. 

Apply for an agricultural fire permit

Agricultural fire permits are required for larger burns. If your application is approved, the burn permit will be valid for the date requested as approved by Severn's Fire and Emergency Services department. This is a single-use permit and a new permit must be approved for each burn. 

Apply for an agricultural fire permit

Fire danger rating

Always check the fire rating before starting a fire. We've placed signs throughout the community to show the current fire rating. Burning is not permitted during a fire ban.

These signs are located at:

Moderate fire danger rating

You can subscribe to this page to receive updates when the fire rating changes.

Permitted activities based on the fire danger rating

Low
Low fire danger. Burning is permitted. 
 Moderate
Moderate fire danger. Burn with caution. 
 High
High danger of fire. Extra care should be taken, with a recommendation of no burning. Severn may issue a municipal-wide fire ban. 
 Extreme
Extreme fire danger. No burning of any kind is allowed. A total fire ban will be issued by the Township. 
 Fire Ban
When a fire ban is in place, no burning of any kind is permitted. Fireworks are also not allowed during a fire ban. 

Guidelines

Before you start a fire, make sure you consider the size and location:

  • fires must be no larger than 61 cm in any direction
  • fires must be 6.1 m from anything combustible, such as a structure, fence or trees
  • you can only have one fire on your property at a time

Please follow these additional fire permit guidelines:

  • don't burn if wind speed is over 20 km per hour
  • keep pails of water or a hose nearby to extinguish the fire
  • remove all ground cover within a 1 m radius of the fire
  • ensure that someone 18 years of age or older is always supervising the fire
  • don't burn if there's rain, fog or a fire ban in effect
  • burn clean, dry wood only

If you don't follow these guidelines, your fire permit may be revoked without a refund and the property owner may be invoiced.

Extinguishing a fire

Here are some tips for safely extinguishing a fire:

  1. soak the fire with sufficient water
  2. stir the ashes with a long stick to turn over hot coals and ashes
  3. move rocks to find hidden embers
  4. repeat the steps until the ashes stop smoking and hissing

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