Burn Ban Status and Fire Danger

By-law #53-19 Open Air Burn By-Law 

Reminder: It is illegal to burn anything outdoors when the Township is under a Burn Ban. 

Fire Information
Ward 1
(613) 336-1581
Wards 2 and 3
(613) 479-0399
Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Forest Fires webpage - Government of Ontario

Fire Information Officer - (289) 733-1327
Fire Index
What is the Fire Index?
The Fire Weather Index (FWI) is a numeric rating of fire intensity and is used as a general index of fire danger throughout the forested areas of Canada.
What are the levels of the Fire Index?
Low (Blue) - Low fire danger, be safe.
Moderate (Green) - Carry out forest activities with care
High (Yellow) - Fire danger is serious, use care.
Extreme (Red) - Extremely high fire danger, use diligent care.
How is the Fire Index determined?
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) collects data from weather stations throughout the province:

  • Actual or estimated temperature
  • Relative Humidity
  • Wind direction
  • Wind speed
  • Adjusted wind speed
  • Precipitation received
  • Fine Fuel Moisture Content (FFMC) - The moisture content of litter and other cured fine fuels.
  • Duff Moisture Content (DMC) - The average moisture content of loosely compacted organic layers of moderate depth.
  • Drought Code (DC) - The average moisture content of deep, compact organic layers.
  • Initial Spread Index (ISI) - The rating of the expected rate of fire spread based on wind speed and FFMC.
  • Buildup Index (BUI) - The rating of the total amount of fuel available for combustion based on the DMC and DC.

For each weather station, the collected data is consolidated into a weighted total which corresponds to a specific class of the Fire Weather Index. Municipalities use the Fire Weather Index class from their closest weather station (ours is located in Plevna, ON).
Burn Bans
What is a Municipal Burn Ban?
A ban on open air burning and fires implemented by the Chief Fire Official of a municipality.
What is a Restricted Fire Zone (Provincial Burn Ban)?
A Restricted Fire Zone (RFZ) is an order made by the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, under the Forest Fires Prevention Act restricting the use of open fires in a specific area of the province. It is a temporary measure put in place to prevent human-caused fires when the fire hazard is extreme or when firefighting resources are limited.
What factors determine whether a Burn Ban is implemented?
The decision to implement a Burn Ban is based on the same data as the Fire Weather Index, the weather forecast, available resources, historical values and professional experience. 
Are all fires illegal under a Burn Ban?
Most types of fires are illegal under a Municipal Burn Ban or Restricted Fire Zone (Provincial Burn Ban).

Please consult By-law #53-19 Open Air Burn By-Law for the limited types of burning permitted during a Municipal Burn Ban.

Please consult Outdoor Fire Restrictions - Government of Ontario and Forest Fires Prevention Act for the limited types of burning permitted during a Restricted Fire Zone (Provincial Burn Ban).

If a municipal or provincial fire ban is lifted, the other may still be in effect.
How do I report someone not adhering to a Burn Ban?
If you observe someone not adhering to a Burn Ban, please call 911 and report the fire.
What are the penalties for not adhering to a Burn Ban?

Failure to comply with a Municipal Burn Ban could result in:

  • a fine according to the Schedule of Fines
  • financial responsibility for all expenses incurred for the purpose of investigating, controlling and extinguishing the fire set or left to burn. 

 

Failure to comply with a Restricted Fire Zone (Provincial Fire Ban) could result in:
  • a fine up to $25,000
  • three months in jail
  • financial responsibility for any costs incurred in fighting a forest fire

The current burn ban status is:

Fire Ban Indicators

Fire Index

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