Terms and Conditions:
All open air burning in the County of Brant is regulated by the County of Brant By-Law Number 223-02
Non-recreational Residential/Agricultural Burning –Approval Required
1. Open Air Burning on lands zoned Residential or Agricultural, that does not meet the criteria in section 10, must be approved by the Fire Chief and conducted in compliance with the following conditions:
(a) the fire is located on land designated for residential or agricultural use in the County zoning by-law;
(b) the County Fire Services Dispatch is Notified in person or by telephone, before the burning commences;
(c) the County Fire Services Dispatch is Notified in person or by telephone at the conclusion of the burning;
(d) the fire is conducted between sunrise and sunset;
(e) only materials as set out in Schedule ‘B’, forming part of this by-law, are burned;
(f) the fire is attended, controlled and supervised at all times;
(g) the fire is completely extinguished before the burn site is Vacated;
(h) the fire is conducted during appropriate weather conditions;
(i) the fire is confined to an area at least 15 metres from any building, structure, hedge, fence, vehicular roadway of any kind or nature, overhead wiring, or any property line;
(j) the fire is confined to an area at least 5 metres from any object or material with potential to ignite;
(k) steps are taken to ensure that smoke caused by the fire does not adversely affect the visibility of motorists using roads in the vicinity of the burn;
(l) the fire does not cover a ground area exceeding 3 square metres 9 square metres (amended by by-law 106-03);
(m) steps are taken to ensure that the adjacent properties are protected and that by-products of the fire do not have a Negative Impact on persons, pets or the environment;
(n) the burn is conducted in such a manner to prevent the escape of the fire or the escape of combustible solids such as sparks and ash from the fire;
(o) an effective extinguishing agent of sufficient size and with the capability of extinguishing the fire is immediately available for use;
(p) the fire is not located on any road allowance or Municipal Property without the written permission of the County, unless such burning is being conducted by authorized employees of the County of Brant or is for the purpose of clearing the County drainage ditches;
(q) means to contact the Brant County Fire Services are immediately available.
Non-Recreational Single Occasion – Permit
2. Open Air Burning, that does not meet the criteria in section 10 or 17, may be conducted under the authority of and in compliance with a permit issued pursuant to this section.
3. The Fire Chief shall only issue a permit for the burning of materials included in Schedule ‘B’, forming part of this by-law.
4. The permit is issued to allow Open Air Burning between sunrise and sunset, for no more than three (3) consecutive days.
5. The holder of a Burning Permit issued pursuant to this Section is required to Notify the County Fire Department dispatch centre at the telephone number specified on the permit on each and every day that they intend to burn and before any burning commences, and again when the fire is extinguished. Commercial, Industrial, Institutional Burning – Semi-Annual Permit
6. Open Air Burning on lands zoned commercial, industrial or institutional that do not meet the requirements of Section 10 are not permitted except under the authority of and in compliance with a permit issued pursuant to this section.
7. The Fire Chief shall only issue a permit for the burning of materials included in Schedule ‘B’, forming part of this by-law.
8. The holder of a Burning Permit issued pursuant to this section is required to Notify the County Fire Department dispatch centre at the telephone number specified on the permit on each and every day that they intend to burn and before any burning commences, and again when the fire is extinguished.
9. The permit is issued to allow Open air Burning between sunrise and sunset only.
10. Any permit issued shall expire no more than six (6) months after the date of issue.
Commercial, Industrial, Institutional Burning – Semi-Annual Permit
11. Open Air Burning on lands zoned commercial, industrial or institutional that do not meet the requirements of Section 10 are not permitted except under the authority of and in compliance with a permit issued pursuant to this section.
12. The Fire Chief shall only issue a permit for the burning of materials included in Schedule ‘B’, forming part of this by-law.
13. The holder of a Burning Permit issued pursuant to this section is required to Notify the County Fire Department dispatch centre at the telephone number specified on the permit on each and every day that they intend to burn and before any burning commences, and again when the fire is extinguished.
14. The permit is issued to allow Open air Burning between sunrise and sunset only.
15. Any permit issued shall expire no more than six (6) months after the date of issue.
General Permit Provisions
16. The application and permit shall be in the form as set out in Schedule ‘C’, forming part of this by-law.
17. Each permit application must be accompanied by the applicable fee as set out in Schedule ‘D’, forming part of this by-law the County of Brant Fees and Charges By-law (consult County's fees and charges).
18. Permits are issued at the discretion of the Fire Chief.
19. Prior to granting a permit to conduct Open Air Burning, the Fire Chief may give consideration to:
(a) the results of an on-site inspection;
(b) the size of the proposed fire;
(c) the safety measures proposed;
(d) the supervision arrangements proposed;
(e) the time of year and the time of day;
(f) the type of special event;
(g) the materials to be burned;
(h) the anticipated weather conditions; and
(i) any other relevant considerations.
20. The Fire Chief may attach such conditions as deemed appropriate to any permit granted for Open Air Burning.
21. The holder of the Burning Permit shall keep the permit or a copy of the permit at the burning site specified in the permit.
22. No person, being the holder of a Burning Permit, shall fail to produce the permit or a copy of the permit on the demand of a Provincial Offences Officer.
23. Any permit holder who is in violation of this By-law shall have their permit summarily revoked and all Fires shall be immediately extinguished.
24. Despite the existence of a valid Burning Permit, the Fire Chief may suspend, without recourse, any and all Burning Permits and cause to be extinguished any Fire until such conditions as the Fire Chief may indicate are met.
25. The Fire Chief may refuse to approve or issue a permit for an Open Air Burning if the proposed Open Air Burning would be in contravention of this by-law; if the owner, occupant or permit holder has, in the past, contravened the provisions of this by-law or has not complied with any conditions attached to a permit issued pursuant to this by-law.
26. The Fire Chief may withdraw a permit for an Open Air Burning if, in the Fire Chief’s opinion, the fire is causing a Negative Impact, smoke produced by the fire is causing visibility concerns on roads in the area of the burn, the weather has deteriorated or conditions have become unfavorable for an Open Air Burning, conditions attached to the granting of a permit are not being adhered to or any provision of this by-law is being contravened.
