Ontario's Prescribed Burn Operations Policy Overview and Prescribed Burn Manual
Ontario’s Prescribed Burn Operations Policy provides direction for Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) involvement in safe and effective prescribed burning operations. The policy guides how Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services (AFFES) of the MNR will respond to requests by resource managers and partners for assistance with prescribed burning.
All prescribed burns inside the legislated Fire Regions must be approved by the MNR. For areas outside of the legislated Fire Regions, approval is required for burns on land managed by the MNR and any prescribed burn that has an MNR employee involved in the planning or delivery of the burn.
Prescribed burn planning begins with the submission of a prescribed burn application accompanied by a completed complexity assessment, as described in the Prescribed Burn Manual (PBM). Resource managers and AFFES staff will assess the prescribed burn application to affirm the complexity of the burn, and the planning detail required.
Prescribed Burn Proponents are responsible for preparing a prescribed burn plan. All prescribed burns involving MNR personnel, or on private land that is managed by MNR, or those burns conducted on Crown lands administered by the MNR in Ontario require an approved prescribed burn plan prepared in accordance with the procedures outlined in the MNR Prescribed Burn Manual. Prescribed burn proponents and their partners are responsible for the full cost of PB planning and delivery.
Plan review and approval is designed to ensure the PB will meet the objectives of the burn proponent, be operationally feasible, comply with MNR management strategies and regulations, and serve and protect the needs and concerns of the public. The approval process includes a review of all proposed actions and associated risk.
The plan approval process is outlined in the manual and must be completed at least 30 days prior to ignition. Major revisions to the plan will be approved no later than 14 days prior to ignition.
Safety is a key component of prescribed burn planning and delivery. Prescribed Burn Operators are responsible for ensuring that controls are in place to protect staff, partners, property, and the public. It is essential to have trained and qualified staff at all levels of the prescribed burn organization when conducting a prescribed burn operation.
Other controls include ensuring that:
- all personnel involved in prescribed burn operations receive an operational briefing and fully understand their roles and responsibilities before any ignition of the burn occurs; and
- effective communications are maintained at all stages of the prescribed burn operation.
Prescribed burn proponents are also responsible for ensuring the appropriate public liability insurance for the type of prescribed burn is in place in the event of damage to third parties. The prescribed burn proponent and/or the Prescribed Burn Operator should contact an insurance professional to ensure that their liability insurance coverage is adequate.
The full Prescribed Burn Policy may be obtained by contacting the address below.
Prescribed Burn (PB) Manual (PDF, 795KB 22 pages)
The companion documents that support the PB Operations policy and PB Manual can be found in the PB Toolbox.
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Comments should be directed to:
Prescribed Burn Technician
Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services
Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 6V5
Phone: (705) 945-6727
