Verified October 20, 2026 ยท Local Toronto Editorial
Short answer: it depends on the city. In Mississauga, a wood-burning backyard fire pit, chiminea or outdoor fireplace is allowed without a permit as long as you follow the by-law: at least 5 metres from buildings, fences, trees and the property line, no bigger than 1 metre across, between sunrise and 11 p.m., and watched until it is out. In Toronto and Brampton, an open wood fire in your yard needs a permit from the fire department. All three cities allow a barbecue, and Toronto and Brampton say an approved propane or natural gas fire table does not need a permit.
Backyard fire rules in Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton
Toronto relies on the Ontario Fire Code, which bans open air burning unless the fire department approves it. Mississauga has its own Open Air Burning By-law (0140-2018) that allows small decorative fires without a permit. Brampton’s Open Fires By-law (91-94) requires a permit for any fire in the open air, with an exception for small cooking fires.
| Type of fire | Toronto | Mississauga | Brampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood-burning fire pit | Not without an Open Air Burn Permit | Allowed without a permit if it meets the by-law | Not without a burn permit |
| Chiminea or outdoor fireplace | Not allowed: the City says solid fuel burning appliances are unacceptable | Allowed without a permit, same rules as a fire pit | Not without a burn permit |
| Propane or natural gas fire table | Treated as approved if ULC or CSA approved, supervised and used as the maker instructs | Not covered by the by-law’s fire pit definition | Allowed with no permit if CSA or ULC approved |
| Small open cooking fire | Allowed if confined, sized to the food and supervised | Allowed: up to 0.3 m by 0.3 m and 0.3 m high, with conditions | Allowed: up to 0.5 square metres and 0.5 m high, in a screened metal or masonry container |
| Manufactured barbecue | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
| Permit fee | $314.25 including HST (2026 application form) | $34.25 for 1 day, $137.02 for 7 days, $239.79 for 28 days, if a permit is needed | Not listed on the City’s permit page |
Toronto: open fires need fire department approval
Toronto Fire Services states plainly that open air burning is not permitted. That includes fire pits, bonfires, chimineas and sky lanterns. The rule comes from section 2.4.4.4 of the Ontario Fire Code, which allows open air burning only where the local fire department has approved it.
The City is also clear that you cannot rely on what is sold in stores. Its open air burning page says the fact that chimineas and other outdoor fireplaces are available at retailers does not mean burning in them is allowed, and that solid fuel burning appliances are unacceptable.
What Toronto does allow
- Cooking. A small, confined fire used to cook food on a grill, barbecue or spit is allowed, as long as the fire is in proportion to the amount of food and is supervised at all times.
- Gas fire tables. Propane and natural gas “campfire effect” units that are ULC or CSA approved are treated as approved, provided they are supervised at all times, used according to the manufacturer’s instructions and kept away from combustible materials.
- Fires with a permit. Toronto issues an Open Air Burn Permit for uses such as film shoots, private events and general fire pits. Fires that are part of a cultural or religious practice use a separate Cultural Fire Authorization, which has no user fee.
How the Toronto permit works
The 2026 Open Air Burn Permit application lists a fee of $314.25 including HST, payable by credit card or cheque, and the fee is not refunded if an application is abandoned. The City asks applicants to allow up to 10 business days for review and may schedule a site inspection. The application needs a site plan showing the distance from the burn location to every structure on your property and the neighbouring properties, and written permission from the owner if you are not the owner. Permit holders must call Toronto Fire Services Communications at 416-338-9000 at the start and end of each burn. A permit cannot run longer than six months from the first burn. Approval is case by case, so a small lot may not pass the site review.
Mississauga: fire pits allowed without a permit, with rules
Mississauga is the most permissive of the three. Its open air burning page says no permit is needed for chimineas, outdoor fireplaces, outdoor appliances, outdoor fire pits, smoke houses or cooking fires. The by-law sets the conditions. Under section 9, a fire pit, outdoor fireplace or outdoor appliance can be used from sunrise to 11 p.m. if all of these are met:
| Rule | What it means in your yard |
|---|---|
| 5 metre clearance | At least 5 m from any building, structure, property line, tree, hedge, fence, roadway, overhead wire or other combustible material |
| Non-combustible base | On a non-combustible surface that extends beyond the unit by a distance equal to the unit’s height |
| Size | Combustion area no larger than 1 m in any direction |
| No nuisance | No excessive smoke, smell, sparks, ash or embers likely to disturb others |
| Water or extinguisher | A portable fire extinguisher or working garden hose on hand while it burns |
| Supervision | The owner or person in charge watches it until it is fully out |
| Hours | Sunrise to 11 p.m. |
The by-law defines a fire pit and an outdoor fireplace as a non-combustible container for a small decorative fire, no more than 1 metre in any direction, that is not fuelled by natural gas or propane. A chiminea is listed as an example of an outdoor fireplace.
Cooking fires in Mississauga
An open cooking fire on a grill (not a manufactured barbecue) is also allowed from sunrise to 11 p.m. under section 10. It can be no bigger than 0.3 m by 0.3 m and 0.3 m high, at least 5 m from structures, property lines and trees, with no combustible ground cover such as leaves or wood chips within 5 m, and only when the wind is 24 km/h or less.
When you cannot burn at all in Mississauga
- Air quality alerts. Section 4 bans open air burning during an Air Quality Warning or Special Air Quality Statement for the Halton-Peel region.
- City-wide burning restriction. The Fire Chief can declare a restriction during high fire risk. During one, only cooking fires and ceremonial fires are allowed. This power was added by By-law 0059-2026 in spring 2026.
- Order to put it out. Firefighters, by-law officers and Peel Regional Police can order a fire extinguished immediately if it does not meet the by-law or is a safety hazard.
The 5 metre rule is the hardest one to meet on a small lot. It applies in every direction, including to your own fence and the property line, so on a narrow lot there may be no spot in the yard that complies. Measure before you buy a fire pit.
Brampton: a permit for any open fire, except small cooking fires
Brampton’s Open Fires By-law 91-94 says no person shall set or maintain a fire in the open air without a permit from the Fire Chief. The City’s fire safety page confirms that this covers outdoor fireplaces, chimineas, bonfires and similar wood-burning appliances.
The cooking fire exception
Section 4 of the by-law allows a fire without a permit if it is used for cooking. It must be no larger than 0.5 square metres and 0.5 metres high, at least 5 metres from structures and other obstructions, and burn inside a metal or masonry container with a mesh screen no larger than half an inch. A container fire that is not being used to cook falls back under the permit rule.
Brampton burn permits
Brampton Fire and Emergency Services issues burn permits through the Brampton Building and Business Portal. Applications must be received 7 days in advance, the permit is issued only 1 to 2 days before the burn date, and it can be revoked if weather conditions are not favourable. Every permit is subject to a site inspection. The City’s page does not list the fee.
Permit fires also have conditions in section 3 of the by-law: a fire no larger than 1 square metre and 1 metre high, no burning between sunset and sunrise, no burning when the wind is above 24 km/h, a 5 metre clear zone around the fire, at least 10 metres from buildings, fences, roads and overhead wires, and constant supervision until it is out. On most suburban lots, a 10 metre setback from the house and fence is hard to achieve.
Propane and natural gas fire tables
If you want a fire feature without a permit in Toronto or Brampton, gas is the practical route. Toronto treats ULC or CSA approved propane and natural gas units as approved, and Brampton says CSA or ULC approved gas appliances are allowed and do not require a permit. In both cities the unit must be used as the manufacturer instructs, and Toronto adds that it must be supervised at all times and kept away from combustibles.
Mississauga’s by-law excludes gas and propane units from its definitions of fire pit and outdoor fireplace, so the wood fire rules above do not apply to them. Follow the maker’s clearances. Toronto notes these units are meant for outdoor use only and not for cooking.
Planning a patio or deck around a fire table? Our guide to 25 home projects and whether they need a permit covers the related building permit questions for patios, decks and outdoor structures.
What you can never burn
None of the three cities allows a backyard fire to get rid of garbage or yard waste.
- Toronto says it is never permissible to burn leaves, rubbish or anything else, and non-compliant burns shall be put out.
- Mississauga points residents to Region of Peel curbside collection for branches, brush and hedge clippings instead of burning them.
- Brampton bans burning rubber tires, plastics and building materials that produce heavy smoke, even with a permit.
Our guide to leaf collection in Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton has the bag rules and schedules.
Fines and complaints
None of the three cities publishes a set fine for an illegal backyard fire. Mississauga and Brampton both say a person who breaks the by-law is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine under the Provincial Offences Act, which is set by the court. Officers can also order a fire put out on the spot.
| City | Questions or permits | Fire you think is illegal |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto | Toronto Fire Services Fire Prevention, through the command office for your ward (listed on the City’s open air burning page), Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | No complaint line listed on the City’s page; call 911 if it is out of control |
| Mississauga | fire.prevention@mississauga.ca or 905-896-5908 | Non-emergency dispatch, 905-456-5700 |
| Brampton | 905.874.2740 or fire.prevention@brampton.ca | Fire safety complaints, 905.874.2700 or fire.prevention@brampton.ca |
Any fire that is spreading or threatening a building is an emergency. Call 911.
Questions people ask
Can I have a fire pit in my backyard in Toronto?
Not a wood-burning one without an Open Air Burn Permit from Toronto Fire Services. The 2026 application fee is $314.25 including HST. A ULC or CSA approved propane or natural gas fire table is treated as approved if it is supervised and used as the manufacturer instructs.
Do I need a permit for a fire pit in Mississauga?
No, as long as it meets the Open Air Burning By-law: at least 5 metres from buildings, fences, trees and the property line, on a non-combustible base, no more than 1 metre across, between sunrise and 11 p.m., with a hose or extinguisher on hand and someone watching until it is out.
Are chimineas allowed in Brampton?
Not without a burn permit. Brampton says the open air burning restriction applies to outdoor fireplaces, chimineas, bonfires and similar wood-burning appliances. Small fires used for cooking in a screened metal or masonry container are exempt.
Can I roast marshmallows over a fire in my yard?
All three cities allow a small fire used for cooking. Toronto requires it to be confined, in proportion to the food and supervised. Mississauga limits a cooking fire to 0.3 m by 0.3 m and 0.3 m high. Brampton limits it to 0.5 square metres and 0.5 m high in a screened metal or masonry container. In each case you must actually be cooking.
Is a propane fire pit allowed without a permit?
In Toronto and Brampton, yes, if it is ULC or CSA approved and used according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Mississauga’s by-law does not treat gas or propane units as fire pits, so its wood fire rules do not apply to them.
What is the fine for an illegal backyard fire?
None of the three cities publishes a set fine. Mississauga and Brampton say offences are dealt with under the Provincial Offences Act, where a court sets the fine. Officers can also order the fire put out immediately.
Sources
- City of Toronto, Open Air Burning (last modified September 4, 2026): open air burning not permitted, Fire Code 2.4.4.4 cooking exception, gas units, chimineas, permits.
- City of Toronto, Open Air Burn Permit Application 2026: $314.25 fee, 10 business days, site plan, six-month limit.
- City of Mississauga, Open air burning (last modified July 20, 2026): when a permit is needed, permit fees, 5 metre rule, complaints line.
- City of Mississauga, Open Air Burning By-law 0140-2018, as amended by 0059-2026: definitions, sections 4, 4.1, 9, 10, 11 and 15.
- City of Brampton, Open Fires By-law 91-94, as amended by 215-2023: permit requirement, cooking exception, permit conditions.
- City of Brampton, Burn Permit: 7 days notice, site inspection, contacts.
- City of Brampton, BBQ Safety: chimineas and outdoor fireplaces need a permit; approved gas appliances do not.
Image: Cole Johnson / Unsplash. Illustrative fire-pit photo; not a specific GTA property or an example of by-law compliance.
This is general information, not legal advice. By-laws change, so confirm with your city’s fire prevention office before you light a fire.
Local Toronto, HomeLife Landmark Realty Inc., Brokerage.