Fire Danger Rating set to HIGH on June 1

Based on Fire Danger Rating reports from the Ministry of Natural Resources over the weekend, along with forecasted weather conditions for the week ahead, the local Fire Danger Rating is being increased to HIGH, effective June 1.

At the high rating, burning is allowed but please use extra caution and never leave a fire unattended. Severn Fire and Emergency Services recommends no burning.

The local Fire Danger Rating is determined using the Fire Weather Index (FWI), an internationally recognized method for assessing the risk of fires in open-air environments.

The FWI considers several weather factors, including relative humidity, temperature, rainfall over the previous 24 hours, wind direction, and wind speed. These factors are assessed alongside forest fuel types and fuel loads to determine the risk of certain types of forest fires.

Based on this information, the Fire Danger Rating is established in consultation with regional Fire Chiefs and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Always check the Fire Danger Rating before starting a fire.

The ratings and permitted activities are described below:

  • Low: Low fire danger. Burning is permitted
  • Moderate: Moderate fire danger. Burn with caution.
  • High: High danger of fire. Extra care should be taken, with a recommendation of no burning. Severn may issue a municipal-wide fire ban.
  • Extreme: Extreme fire danger. No burning of any kind is allowed. A total fire ban will be issued by the Township.
  • Fire Ban: When the fire ban is in place, no burning of any kind is permitted. Fireworks are also not allowed.

Signs have been placed throughout the community to show the Fire Danger Rating.

These signs are located at:

Before you start a fire, make sure you consider the size and location:

  • fires must be no larger than 61 centimetres in any direction
  • fires must be 6.1 metres from anything combustible, such as a structure, fence, or trees
  • you can only have one fire on your property at a time

Please follow these additional fire permit guidelines:

  • don't burn if wind speed is over 20 kilometres per hour
  • keep pails of water or a hose nearby to extinguish the fire
  • remove all ground cover within a 1 metre radius of the fire
  • ensure that someone 18 years of age or older is always supervising the fire
  • don't burn if there's rain, fog or a fire ban in effect
  • burn clean, dry wood only

If you don't follow these guidelines, your fire permit may be revoked without a refund and the property owner may be invoiced for services. 

You can subscribe to receive email updates on Severn’s fire danger rating at severn.ca/subscribe.

Visit our Open-air Burning and Permits page for more information.

Fire permits required for residential burning

If you plan to have a residential fire, please purchase a fire permit.

Fire permits contribute to overall fire safety and protect the environment. The permitting process allows the Township of Severn's Fire and Emergency department to educate the public on safe practices and monitor burning activities. Additionally, permits can help prevent uncontrolled fires and allow for quicker response times if needed.

Contact us

Customer Care Team
Phone: 705-325-2315
Email: customercare@severn.ca

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Contact us

1024 Hurlwood Lane
Severn, Ontario

Phone: 705-325-2315
Fax: 705-327-5818
Contact us

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