Fire Pits and Burn Barrels

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Note: This policy is currently under review and subject to change.

Theme Camps and Open Campers may have a fire pit or burn barrel without FAST inspection for the purpose of burning clean dry wood provided the conditions below are met, and/or providing no other City-wide or provincial burn bans are in effect:

  • The ground must be cleared and free of vegetation in a 3m (10 feet) radius around the barrel or fire pit.
  • The fire must be supervised at all times by a competent adult human.
  • All fires must be raised off the ground on a non-flammable platform, metal sheet on bricks, in a portable fire pit, or in a burn barrel on legs or bricks.
  • A bucket of water must be available in the vicinity of all fires. Any unattended fires will be extinguished by FAST.
  • Clean dry wood is the only material that may be burned. Painted or treated wood, brush, leaves, grass clippings, garbage and other materials may not be burned.

Fire Pits

  • The fire area is no larger than 1m (3 feet) in diameter.
  • The fire area is contained within a pit designed for said use, not on the ground or in the forest.
  • Fire pits must be at least 3m (10 feet) away from the treeline.

Burn Barrels

  • Barrels must be constructed of metal and be in good condition.
  • A heavy duty screen with mesh not greater than 0.5cm is placed on top of the barrel.
  • Draft holes at the bottom of the barrel are no larger than 2.5cm in diameter.
  • Barrels must be at least 5m (16.5 feet) away from the treeline.

Fire wood may be purchased locally prior to the event or by placing an order before March 25th by emailing baerman2.0@gmail.com.

FAST (Fire Art Safety Team) is here to make sure that everybody has a safe Burn. If you have any questions about fire policies or concerns both before and during the event email fast@sideburn.ca.

Related resources

Fire

For more details on our fire safety policies and guidelines, please review the full Fire Policy page.

Learn More

Fire Art and Flame Effects

For more information on our guidelines and regulations regarding flame effects and fire art, please review the full Flame Effects and Fire Art Policy page.

Learn More

FAST-Required Documentation

Learn how to create a Burn Plan and review the FAST-required documentation for planned art burns in our comprehensive guide.

Learn More
Photo credit: Header image by Captured by Caro, used with permission.
Land Acknowledgement
We gather for SideBurn on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabe, the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, the Huron-Wendat, the Mississaugas, and other Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work and build community on this land.