Fire bans now in place across entire Kawarthas region

Except for two townships in Peterborough County, a total fire ban is now in place across the entire Kawarthas region due to extremely dry conditions and the ongoing air quality alert due to smoke from forest fires in Quebec and northeastern Ontario.

On Thursday (June 8), the Kawartha Lakes Fire Department issued a total burn ban for all communities in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Although that burn ban did allow for some exceptions, including fires for the sole purpose of heating or cooking when no other means of heating or cooking are available and agricultural and special burn permits, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has since instituted a restricted fire zone that includes Kawartha Lakes. In a restricted fire zone, no open fires of any kind, including campfires or debris burning, are permitted. If you need heat for cooking and warmth, you’ll have to use a portable gas or propane stove.

On Wednesday (June 7), Northumberland County fire chiefs announced a fire ban for all of Northumberland. The fire ban restricts all open-air fires including campfires, burn barrels, chimeneas, brush piles, and yard waste. Cooking devices that are designed to cook food with wood pellets or charcoal, such as smokers or grills, are permitted for use. Any cooking devices, outdoor fireplaces, and fuel-fired appliances that use propane or natural gas are also exempt from the fire ban.

Haliburton County issued a county-wide fire ban on June 1, with Hastings Highlands in Hastings County declaring a total fire ban on June 5. Fire bans are also in place in the Town of Bancroft and all other municipalities across Hastings County.

In Peterborough County, fire bans are now in place in North Kawartha Township, Douro-Dummer Township, Havelock-Belmont-Metheun Township, Otonabee-South Monaghan Township, and the Municipality of Trent Lakes.

As of Thursday, only Selwyn Township and Cavan Monaghan Township have not declared fire bans, although burning restrictions are in effect. In Selwyn Township, no brush burning is allowed. In Cavan Monaghan Township, no burning is permitted except for campfires in the evenings from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

In the City of Peterborough, open-air burning is never allowed.

This story has been updated to include the restricted fire zone for Kawartha Lakes.