Provincewide Burn Ban in Effect

Because of hot, dry conditions, there is a ban on open fires effective immediately across the entire province.

The ban was put in place today, July 30, and will remain in place until October 15 – the end of wildfire season – or until conditions improve. The fine for violating the ban is $25,000.

“We’ve had a lot of hot, dry weather, very little rain and there’s no significant rain in the forecast in the near future,” said Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources. “We’ve had a lot of small, manageable fires this month and conditions are now ripe for any small fire to grow larger. Nobody wants a repeat of the devastation we experienced in 2023. I ask all Nova Scotians to co-operate, respect the burn ban and save their campfires and other open fires for a safer time.”

The ban applies to open fires such as campfires, bonfires, brush fires, fires in chimeneas and any other fire that is not enclosed and uses wood as the fuel. Unlike gas or charcoal fires, sparks could escape from an open wood fire and cause a wildfire.

Non-woodburning devices like charcoal and gas barbeques and gas stoves are allowed to be used, following manufacturer’s instructions.

Quick Facts:

• the ban was put in place through a proclamation under the Forests Act
• the Province’s BurnSafe map, which lets people know where and when burning is permitted, will remain red while the proclamation is in effect, meaning open fires are not allowed
• the proclamation overrides any permits that have been issued for industrial burning
• the ban applies to all private property and provincial lands, including parks and protected areas; the Province does not have jurisdiction over federal land
• people are not banned from entering the woods at this time, but that is another possible tool to help reduce the risk of wildfires, if needed

Additional Resources:

Burn ban proclamation: https://novascotia.ca/natr/forestprotection/wildfire/fire-proclamation_2025-07-30.pdf

Information on fire restrictions and the BurnSafe map: https://novascotia.ca/natr/forestprotection/wildfire/burnsafe/Q-As.asp

Forests Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/forests.pdf