Open Air Fire Permits | City of Kingston

There are currently no restrictions or bans on fires.

If you wish to have an outdoor fire in Kingston, you must obtain a permit from Kingston Fire and Rescue to ensure fire safety. These permits are free for property owners and tenants and valid for an entire year.

Permit types

There are various permits available depending on the type of fire you plan to have. Before applying for a permit, review the regulations for each type of fire and determine your zone (zone one or zone two) by referring to the Open Air Fire Ban Status map.

Find information about what permits that are available per zone in the following map. Please note that approval of permits depends on the Fire Ban Status on each zone.

Open the full page Open Air Fire Ban Status map.

Open air fireplace permit

Available in zone one and zone two.

An open air fireplace means a manufactured, non-combustible, enclosed container designed to hold a small fire for decorative purposes, the size of which does not exceed 1 metre in any direction, and includes, but is not limited to, a chiminea.

The fireplace must be at least 3 metres from any building, structure, hedge, fence, overhead wiring, trees, other combustible materials, or the lot line.

Terms and conditions

The open air fireplace is not on a balcony.
The open air fireplace is not on a combustible surface.
The open air fireplace is in good working order.
The open air fireplace is at least 5 metres (16 feet) away from buildings, structures, hedges, fences, overhead wiring, trees, other combustible materials, or the lot line.
The open air fireplace has a spark arrester or protective cover to contain sparks and embers.
Only clean, dry wood in a single pile, not exceeding 45 centimetres (1.5 feet) in height, width, and length, is burned.
Necessary means are immediately available at the site to extinguish the brush fire, and/or limit the spread of fire, and if necessary, call Kingston Fire & Rescue.
Open air fires are not allowed when wind speeds exceed 25 kilometres per hour, as determined by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
A person must be present and in control of the fire.
The person in control of the fire is identified in the Open air fire permit.

Read terms and conditions, and create a MyKingston account to easily apply for an open air fireplace permit.

Open air appliance fire permit

Available in zone one and zone two.

An open air appliance fire refers to a wood-burning device that has received approval from CAN/ULC (Underwriters Laboratories of Canada).

The fireplace must be at least 3 metres from any building, structure, hedge, fence, overhead wiring, trees, other combustible materials, or the lot line.

Please note: Devices with mechanical shut-offs are exempt from requiring a permit, such as propane or natural gas appliances, as well as grilling or cooking fires using smokers, barbecues, masonry barbecues, charcoal appliances, hibachis, and contained pizza ovens.

Terms and conditions

The open air appliance is not on a balcony.
The open air appliance is not on a combustible surface.
The open air appliance is in good working order.
The open air appliance is at least 5 metres (16 feet) away from buildings, structures, hedges, fences, overhead wiring, trees, other combustible materials, or the lot line.
The open air appliance has a spark arrester or protective cover to contain sparks and embers.
Only clean, dry wood in a single pile, not exceeding 45 centimetres (1.5 feet) in height, width, and length, is burned.
Necessary means are immediately available at the site to extinguish the brush fire, and/or limit the spread of fire, and if necessary, call Kingston Fire & Rescue.
Open air fires are not allowed when wind speeds exceed 25 kilometres per hour, as determined by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
A person must be present and in control of the fire.
The person in control of the fire is identified in the Open Air Fire Permit.

Read terms and conditions, and create a MyKingston account to easily apply for an open air appliance fire permit.

Campfire permit

Limited to zone one.

Campfires are allowed in firepits that are made from materials like non-combustible metal, masonry, ceramic, a stone circled area or a pit in the ground. These campfires must be on private property and are only allowed in rural fire zone one.

The campfire must be at least 5 metres from any building, structure, hedge, fence, overhead wiring, trees, other combustible materials, or the lot line.

Terms and conditions

The campfire is contained on a property within Open Air Fire Zone 1.
The campfire is contained within an area of non-combustible metal, masonry, ceramic, or stone, or it is contained within a pit in the ground that does not exceed 90 centimetres (3 feet) in height, width, and length.
The material to be burned in the campfire is clean dry wood in a single pile and does not exceed 90 centimetres (3 feet) in height, width, and length.
The campfire is at least 5 metres (16 feet) from any building, structure, hedge, fence, overhead wiring, trees, other combustible materials, or the lot line.
Necessary means are immediately available at the site to extinguish the brush fire, and/or limit the spread of fire, and if necessary, call Kingston Fire & Rescue.
Open air fires are not permitted when wind speeds exceed 25 kilometres per hour, as determined by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
A person is present and in control of the campfire.
The person present and in control of the campfire is the person identified in the Open Air Fire Permit.

Read terms and conditions, and create a MyKingston account to easily apply for an campfire permit.

Brush fire permit

Limited to zone one.

Restricted to rural fire zone one, the Fire Chief cannot approve brush fires exceeding three meters (10 feet) in all directions.

Terms and conditions

The property contains the brush fire within Open Air Fire Zone 1.
Kingston Fire & Rescue dispatch/communications is notified before setting the brush fire at 613-548-4001 ext. 5156.
The brush fire must be set and maintained at no less than 30 metres (98 feet) from any building, hedge, fence, overhead wires, trees, other combustible materials, or the lot line.
The material to be burned should not exceed 3 metres (10 feet) in height, 3 metres (10 feet) in width, and 3 metres (10 feet) in length, or as otherwise approved by the Fire Chief.
The brush fire is only set or maintained during the specified timeframes on the issued Open Air Fire Permit.
Necessary means are immediately available at the site to extinguish the brush fire, and/or limit the spread of fire, and if necessary, call Kingston Fire & Rescue.
Open air fires are prohibited when wind speeds exceed 25 kilometres per hour, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
A person must be present and in control of the fire.
The person in control is the one identified in the Open Air Fire Permit.
Kingston Fire & Rescue dispatch/communications is notified as soon as practicable after extinguishing the brush fire.

Read terms and conditions, and create a MyKingston account to easily apply for an brush fire permit.

Campground fire permit

Limited to zone one.

The owner of the campground, not individual campers, must apply for the permit for fires within the campground, restricted to rural fire zone one.

Terms and conditions

The Campground has immediate means available to extinguish an open air fire, and/or limit the spread of fire, and if necessary, call Kingston Fire and Rescue.
Open air fires are prohibited when wind speeds exceed 25 kilometres per hour, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
The person in control is the one identified in the Open Air Fire Permit.

Read terms and conditions, and create a MyKingston account to easily apply for an campground permit.

Special event fires permits

Available in zone one and zone two.

Special events include, but are not limited to, school programs, community organizations such as Girl/Boy Scouts, and 4H Club, and events organized throughout the City of Kingston.

Terms and conditions

Have immediate means available to extinguish an open air fire, and/or limit the spread of fire, and if necessary, call Kingston Fire and Rescue.
Open air fires are prohibited when wind speeds exceed 25 kilometres per hour, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
A person must be present and in control of the fire.
The person in control is the one identified in the Special Event Fire Permit.

Read terms and conditions, and create a MyKingston account to easily apply for an special event fire permit.

Agricultural permit

Limited to zone one.

Registered farming businesses located in zone one can conduct agricultural fires. The size of these fires should not exceed six meters (20 feet) in any direction, unless approved by the Fire Chief. Agricultural fires must be at least 90 metres away from any building, hedge, fence, overheard wires, trees, other combustible materials, or the lot line.

Terms and conditions

The Agricultural Fire is contained on a Property within the Open Air Fire Zone 1.
Kingston Fire & Rescue has inspected and approved the location of the Agricultural Fire.
Notify Kingston Fire & Rescue dispatch / communications prior to setting the agricultural fire at 613-548-4001 ext. 5156.
Agricultural fires must be at least 90 metres away from any building, hedge, fence, overheard wires, trees, other combustible materials, or the lot line.
The material to be burned shall not exceed 6 metres (20 feet) in height, 6 metres (20 feet) in width, and 6 metres (20 feet) in length, or as otherwise approved by the Fire Chief.
The material to be burned should not exceed 3 metres (10 feet) in height, 3 metres (10 feet) in width, and 3 metres (10 feet) in length, or as otherwise approved by the Fire Chief.
Necessary means are immediately available at the site to extinguish the brush fire, and/or limit the spread of fire, and if necessary, call Kingston Fire & Rescue.
Open air fires are prohibited when wind speeds exceed 25 kilometres per hour, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
A person must be present and in control of the fire.
The person in control is the one identified in the Agricultural Fire Permit.
Kingston Fire & Rescue dispatch / communications is notified as soon as is practicable after the agricultural fire is extinguished.

Read terms and conditions, and create a MyKingston account to easily apply for an agricultural fire permit.

Fire ban status

A fire ban status is a temporary measure put in place to prevent human-caused fires when the fire hazard is extreme or when there are limited firefighting resources. The restrictions and safety measures vary depending on whether it is a partial fire ban or a total fire ban.

No fire ban

Open fires are allowed. Regular safety measures and individual permit requirements apply.

Partial fire ban

During a partial fire ban, setting agricultural fires, brush fires, and fireworks is prohibited.

Total fire ban

During a total fire ban, setting fireworks or any type of open air fires, including campfires, outdoor appliances and fireplaces, agricultural fires, brush fires, and special event fires is prohibited.