Residents of London can light up their backyard fires again now that the city has lifted its short-term ban on open-air burning, thanks to improved air quality after days filled with wildfire smoke.
The London Fire Department announced on Monday that the ban, which had been effective since Thursday, is no longer in place.
“With air quality conditions improving, the open air burning suspension has been lifted,” the department said in a post on X. “Londoners are advised to familiarize themselves with the by-law and burn responsibly.”
This temporary prohibition was put into effect when London’s Air Quality Health Index hit 10+, indicating very high risk, as smoke from wildfires in northwestern Ontario spread across much of southern Ontario. Officials stated that this action aimed to minimize additional smoke in the area and safeguard public health.
Environment Canada is now predicting mostly sunny weather with a high of 26 C on Monday. While some localized smoke impacted the region over the weekend, conditions have significantly improved, with only a slight chance of rain expected Monday night.
Over the weekend, as air quality got better, the City of London reopened outdoor pools, sports fields, and splash pads but warned that smoke conditions could still change based on weather developments.
Understand Open-Air Burning Regulations
According to London’s open-air burning bylaw, residents can have fires in manufactured outdoor fire containers like chimineas and fire pits as long as they stay within dimensions of 46 centimeters wide by 46 centimeters long by 30 centimeters high.
Outdoor fires must be supervised at all times; there should be a way to put out the fire readily available; and it shouldn’t create a nuisance due to excessive smoke, odors, sparks or embers.
No open-air burning is allowed when winds exceed 15 km/h, during rain or fog, or if a smog day has been declared.
If someone wants to have larger open-air fires, they need a permit from the London Fire Department.
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