Burn Permit

Township Services Interior Right

*NEW* Effective June 1, 2023 - all Burn Permits will be issued using our new online system. New users will be required to create an account using an email address the first time they access the system.

If you cannot access the internet to apply for a Burn Permit, please contact or visit the Municipal Office or Asphodel-Norwood Public Library.

Open Air Burning conditions can change at any time. Residents must verify the current conditions prior to burning. See the Fire Danger Rating page for a current conditions.

Recreational Fires - for cooking or warmth, up to 1m² in size, do not require a permit.
Agricultural Fires - for rural or agricultural properties with a minimum of 5 acres, with the intent of burning only brush or vegetation, to a maximum size of 3m in length or width x 2m in height, a permit is required. See the 'Apply for a Burn Permit' button below.
Special Occurrence Fires - any desired fire that does not meet the intent of a Recreational Fire or Agricultural Fire, requires both a permit and a site inspection. See the 'Apply for a Burn Permit' button below.

The Township of Asphodel-Norwood passed Burn By-law 2016-79 as amended on August 23, 2016.

For more information please see the Open Air Burning Information Pamphlet (348 KB).

Open-Air Burning Permit & Penalty Fees

Special Occurrence Fire Permit Fee: $25.00
Agricultural Fire Permit Fee: $ 0.00
Annual Incinerator Permit and Inspection: $40.00

Item	Description of Offence	Provisions Creating Offence	Fee
1.	Set or allow fire to burn in contravention of by-law	Section 3.1	$200.00
2.	Failing to obtain a permit/permission	Section 3.2	$200.00
3.	Burning prohibited materials	Section 3.3	$200.00
4.	Burning leaves	Section 3.4	$200.00
5.	Setting an uncontained fire	Section 3.5	$200.00
6.	Fire not attended, supervised or inadequate means to extinguish fire	Section 3.6	$200.00
7.	Burn barrel	Section 3.9	$200.00
8.	Failing to obtain incinerator permit/inspection	Section 3.11	$200.00
9.	Recreational fire within 3m of structure, roadway, overhead wires or combustible material	Section 4.1	$200.00
10.	Fire other than a recreation fire set within 22m of a structure, roadway, overhead wires or combustible material	Section 4.1	$200.00
11.	Fire on public land or roadway	Section 4.2	$200.00
12.	Fire on land where construction of a building or structure is ongoing	Section 4.3	$200.00
13.	Failure to obtain owner’s permission	Section 5.1	$200.00
14.	Fire between sunset & sunrise (not applicable to recreational fires)	Section 5.2	$200.00
15.	Fire or Fireworks during fire ban	Section 5.3	$1,000.00
16.	Fire causing a nuisance or danger	Section 5.4	$400.00
17.	Failure to call prior to setting an open-air fire	Section 6.5	$100.00
18.	Any subsequent fine occurred in the above penalties shall be fined two (2) times the amount of the previous fine or penalty for each repeated violation(s)
19	The Fire Chief or their designate can (at their discretion) revoke or ban the right of a resident to have fires identified in the current Burn By-law

Cost associated with Section 5.5 and 7.3 will be determined based on each occurrence (Rate to respond and extinguish is set at current MTO rates).

For full details, please refer to the Fees and Charges By-Law.

When do Burn Permits Expire?

Burn Permits expire December 31^st each year, except Special Occurrence permits which are only valid for a designated time.

Who Do I Call before Starting a Fire?

You must activate your Burn Permit prior to starting a fire; and may do so up to 24-hours before starting your fire by:

Calling the toll-free number 1-844-476-0111*
Signing into your Burn Permit account and activating the permit via the 'Register Burn' button**

*If you call to activate your Burn Permit, you will be greeted by the automated system and given information on the current fire risk level. If a burn restriction is in place, the message will include instructions detailing when you can have a fire.

**If you sign into your Burn Permit account to activate your permit, the website displays the fire risk level and associated message below your permit. Restriction and Burn Ban information also appears in this location.

All open-air burning is prohibited during a Burn Ban.

Why do I need to Activate my Burn Permit before every fire?

Activating your Burn Permit before every fire does two (2) main things:

It lets Fire Department staff know where the active fires are in the Township; and
It lets you know exactly what the fire risk status is, if there are any restrictions in place or if there is a Burn Ban in effect. These details change daily during the high-risk times of the year - most notably in the early Spring and Summer months when dry vegetation make fire spread very likely. Activating your Burn Permit before every fire keeps you informed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can obtain a Burn Permit?

Only residents living in approved areas can obtain a permit. Permits are conditional and may be revoked at any time.

How can I obtain a Burn Permit?

You may register online, or visit the Municipal Office in person.

What can I burn?

Please only burn wood, wood by-products (cardboard, paper, etc.) or brush/leaves.

Do I need a permit?

If you want to have an Open-Air Fire (that is not recreational - see above definition), then yes, you need a Burn Permit.