Before applying for an Open Air Fire Permit please review the following information:

• Review the full content of this Open Air Fire Permit Application page.
• Is your property eligible to apply for an Open Air Fire Permit?

Validate Property

• A diagram of your property is required for application submission.
  • You can provide a hand drawn diagram or leverage the validate property tool to generate a diagram of your property.
  • You must identify the following items that apply to your property. See the example below to ensure you have a successful application.
  • (1) Location of Proposed Open Air Fire
  • (2) Fire Dept. Access Route to Fire
  • (3) Ponds, Cisterns, On-site Water Sources
  • (4) Property Lines, Boundaries
  • (5) Roads, Driveways, Paths
  • (6) Buildings, Structures, Obstructions
  • (7) Trees, Crops, Vegetation
  • (8) Nearest Fire Hydrant
  • The following image is an example of a completed property diagram. You can click on the image for a larger view.

Create a Property Diagram Tutorial

• Not the Property Owner of the location?
  • Please be advised if you are not the property owner of the application. Please be prepared to provide a Schedule H. This will need to be completed by the property owner and submitted with application.

APPLY ONLINE

     Apply now

• $25 plus HST
• The application and payment can be completed online through our website.  A service fee of 2.50% of the amount paid is levied by Paymentus for each transaction. 
  

 RENEW YOUR PERMIT

•  Open air fire permits may be renewed if the following conditions are met: 
  • An open air fire permit was approved for the property in the previous calendar year
  • No changes have been made to the property since the initial application was submitted 
• If the conditions are not met, a new open air fire permit application is required
• The fee for renewal is $25 plus HST
• The application and payment can be completed online through our website.  A service fee of 2.50% of the amount paid is levied by Paymentus for each transaction.

Renew Now

APPLY PAPER APPLICATION

• $35.40 plus HST
• Print a copy of the Open Air Fire Permit Application
• If you need a printed copy or further assistance, please call us at 905-945-2113 or email us at gfd@grimsby.ca
• Submit the completed application form along with a cheque made payable to the Town of Grimsby either by:
  • In person, at the Grimsby Fire Department, 261 Ontario Street, Grimsby
  • Mail, Town of Grimsby 160 Livingston Ave, Grimsby, ON, L3M 0J5

Once we receive your application we will review the submission and respond to you within 5 business days.

• Open air fires set and maintained on property zoned for agricultural use under the Zoning By-Law require an annual farm fire permit.
• There is no fee for this permit.
• Farm fire permits shall be subject to provisions, conditions and prohibitions as set out in the Open Air Fires By-Law 21-17, as well as Schedule "A" of the Open Air Fires By-Law.
• These permits are also only valid for the calendar year and expire on December 31st of each year.

• Many residential properties are not large enough to meet the clearance requirements for a lawful open air fire.
• Urban area fires require a minimum clearance of 4 metres. (approximately 13 feet) in all directions between the fire and an building, structure, fence, overhead wire, or combustible material.
• Urban area fires require a minimum clearance of 6 metres (approximately 20 feet) to an adjacent property or highway.
• Any person who sets or maintains an open air fire is responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient clearances around the fire.
• Despite having a valid permit, it is unlawful to set or maintain an open air fire that causes smoke, odour, ashes, or embers to invade a neighbouring property thereby causing a nuisance.
• Residents that fail to comply with the regulations will result in fines and/or fees of $775 per hour for each fire truck that responds to extinguish an unsafe or unlawful fire.

• Open air burning complaints should be reported while the offence is occurring.
• Serious threat and/or property damage - Call 9-1-1. Remember, this should only be used if it is an emergency situation as the fire department will be dispatched to respond to an emergency.
• Less serious situations (e.g. smoke is creating a nuisance) - call 905-684-4311, the Fire Dispatch Non-Emergency number. A member of the fire department will be dispatched to investigate the complaint.

Effective 2021, a number of changes have occurred and a new Open Air Fire By-law 21-17 has been approved.  This is following significant community consultation. Therefore, the following items are new or updated to ensure the by-law supports a safe and healthy community.

• The permit classifications are revised to:
  • Farm Fire Permit
  • Rural Fire Permit (New)
  • Urban Fire Permit (New)
  • Campground Fire Permit (New)
  • Specific Event Fire Permit (New)
• The former "Urbanized Areas" was replaced with "Urban area".
• A new "Specific Event Fire Permit" was introduced to facilitate campfires by various community groups for a specific occasion or series of occasions.

• Sensitive Receptor Registry is an approach whereby the fire department maintains a confidential database of locations where exposure to smoke may pose a particular risk to the health of an individual or group.
• Residents wishing to be placed on the registry would submit a letter from their physician or a notarized statement attesting to the medical need to have their address placed on the Sensitive Receptor Registry.
• Burn Permits would not be issued, nor open air fires allowed, within 75 metres of a location listed on the registry.
• The registry process is in development. If you have questions about the registry, contact the Fire Department.

• A new section was added to the By-law to allow the outdoor use of small flaming devices, such as tiki torches and candles.
• The outdoor use of these devices was technically unlawful under the previous By-law, but should be include as an allowable device.

• The By-law prohibits the use of these balloon-like "flying lanterns" devices.
• The devices are a fire safety concern because these open flame devices have an uncontrollable and unpredictable flight path when released.
• They can land on trees, building rooftops, and other combustible properties while still ignited thereby creating a public hazard.

• The By-law now authorizes the Town's By-law enforcement officers, in addition to Fire prevention staff, to enforce the open air fire by-law, and issue an order to extinguish a fire.

• The By-law is in place to ensure that open air fires are safe.
• At times, neighbours are using this matter to solve neighbour disputes rather than a safety concern or true violation of the By-law.
• A monetary penalty and a cost recovery mechanism for repeated responses is now in place for false or frivolous open air burning complaints.

•  An appeal mechanism if charged under the Administrative Penalties is now in place to allow individuals who have been assessed fees or charges under the open air fire by-law, to appeal those fees or charges.