Fire Danger Rating

Current Fire Danger Rating:
(Updated July 11, 2023, 4:00 p.m.)

MODERATE RATING: In Bracebridge, recreational and non-recreational open-air burning is permitted between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. Daytime burning is not permitted.

About the Muskoka Fire Danger Rating

The Fire Danger Rating is a Muskoka-wide rating system monitored from April 1 to October 31 each year. This is the Forest Fire Danger Rating for Restricted Fire Zone RFZ 27 (District of Muskoka). The rating is verified daily and updated whenever the rating changes.

The Muskoka Fire Danger Rating is determined using the Fire Weather Index (FWI), an internationally used method for determining the risk of fires in open air. It uses several factors to determine the risk of the forest to certain fire types, such as:

• Relative humidity;
• Temperature;
• Previous 24-hour rain amount;
• Wind directions and wind speed; and
• Forest fuel type.

From this calculation the Forest Fire Danger Rating is made in consultation with the Fire Chiefs of the six area municipalities and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

What do the ratings mean?

Fire danger ratings range from low to a complete fire ban depending on conditions. Daytime burning is not allowed at all from April 1 to October 31, no matter what the rating is. 

For more information on slash pile or recreational fires in the Town of Bracebridge, view the Open Air Burning brochure or the full Burning Control By-Law 2014-018, and the Amending Burning Control By-Law 2020-047.

For complete information on burning in your area, please check with your local municipal office: