Farm Fire Safety

In recent years, fires in Ontario farm buildings have become an increasing concern resulting in losses of more than $30 million per year. Additional losses to the farm operation include equipment, livestock or poultry lost in the blaze, business interruption, loss of production and extreme stress on the farm family. The growth of larger-scale farming operations has increased the need to address this problem as the financial cost to replace these larger facilities has increased.

Reducing the Risk of Fire on Your Farm was developed for consideration in relation to farm buildings such as livestock barns, grain and equipment storage facilities, and other similar farm buildings of low human occupancy. The recommendations pertain to both existing and new construction, supplementing the applicable requirements of the National Farm Building Code of Canada, 1995, (NFBCC) as referenced by Ontario's Building Code (the Building Code), a regulation made under the Building Code Act, 1992. The NFBCC establishes minimum requirements for fire protection of farm buildings of low human occupancy.

The guide examines the major causes of farm building fires and what can be done to reduce the associated risks. The concepts of fire safety and how they are applied are covered. Strategies are also discussed, using best management practices, to reduce the impact on property and business in the event that a fire does occur.