Firewood in Stayner: What to Order and Burn
Order firewood for a Stayner property by the bush cord, ask for the split length before comparing any face cord price, and check that the wood reads under 20% moisture. Then match the wood to the fire. Stayner is a settlement area under Clearview Township By-law 14-06, so an outdoor fire there burns only in an enclosed outdoor fireplace on a $10 permit, while a woodstove inside the house falls outside the by-law. Cottage Care Company runs firewood delivery to Stayner as part of its daily route across the township.
Price a Stayner cord by its volume
A bush cord, also called a full cord, is a stack 4 feet high, 4 feet deep and 8 feet long. A face cord is the same height and length but only one row deep, so its depth is the length of each split. That one number decides how much wood the price buys.
| Unit on the ad | Share of a bush cord | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Bush cord (full cord) | All of it | Is stacking included, and where? |
| Face cord, 12 inch splits | About a quarter | Will it fit my stove, and is that the whole row? |
| Face cord, 16 inch splits | About a third | Does it fit my firebox? |
| Face cord, 24 inch splits | About a half | Does my firebox take a 24 inch piece? |
Two sellers can quote the same face cord price and sell different amounts of wood. At the same price, a 12 inch face cord holds about three quarters of the wood in a 16 inch one. Measure the firebox, take the longest split that fits with room to spare, and compare prices only at that length.
Cottage Care Company prices by the bush cord. Its starting rate is $499 per bush cord with delivery and stacking included, which is roughly $166 per 16 inch face cord. That figure is where a quote begins, not a fixed Stayner price: the quote moves with the quantity, the wood type and the carry from the truck to the stack.
How to tell seasoned wood from green wood
Seasoned hardwood sits under 20% moisture. Wood above that hisses, smokes, gives little heat and leaves creosote in the chimney, which is the reason a wet load is a chimney problem and not only a comfort problem. Three checks on a delivered load take a few minutes:
- Split one piece and read the fresh face with a moisture meter, not the weathered outside of the piece.
- Ask for the species. The Cottage Care Company load is a mix of maple, oak, ash and birch, depending on local supply.
- Ask for the split length, and check it against the firebox before the load is stacked.
Drying time depends on the species, the split size and how the wood is stacked, which is why the meter is a better guide than a date on a receipt. The drying numbers, and how many cords a season takes, are in the guide to how much firewood a cottage needs.
Which fire the wood is for under By-law 14-06
Clearview requires every property owner who wants an outdoor fire to buy a burn permit. The permit costs $10 per property and is valid for the calendar year. Owners buy it through the Township's Community Connect portal, or get an application in person at the Administration Centre at 217 Gideon Street in Stayner.
The by-law defines an open air fire as one that is not totally enclosed. A woodstove burns inside a closed firebox, so the permit is about the fire in the yard, not the one in the living room. For the yard, the by-law splits the township into settlement areas, Stayner among them, and rural areas, and each gets a different permit.
| Condition | Settlement permit (Stayner) | Rural permit |
|---|---|---|
| The fire | Only in an outdoor fireplace: a manufactured ULC or CSA enclosed container, chimineas included | An open air fire, pile no larger than 1 metre across and 1 metre high unless the Fire Chief authorizes more |
| Where | Rear yard only, at least 4 metres from any building, structure, fence, overhead wire or lot line | Not within 30 metres of any building |
| Fuel | Wood or by-products of wood | Wood, and the permit is not valid for materials transported into Clearview Township |
| Hours | Lit no earlier than 6:00 A.M., out by 1:00 A.M. | Lit no earlier than 6:00 A.M., out by 1:00 A.M. |
| No fire when | Raining, a smog advisory, wind over 25 km an hour, or a fire ban | Raining, a smog advisory, wind over 25 km an hour, or a fire ban |
On a Stayner lot, an open ring of stones is not covered by the settlement permit. The by-law leaves two narrower routes. Section 3.7 allows a cooking fire pit that the Fire Chief has permitted for the calendar year, no more than one metre across, on non-combustible material, with fuel no higher than 0.5 metres and a grill on top. A Special Settlement Permit, also authorized by the Fire Chief each calendar year, allows an open air fire on a settlement lot. Clearview Fire and Emergency Services also confirms whether an address on the edge of town is inside the settlement boundary.
The set fines are $100 for an open air fire without a permit, $100 for breaking the conditions of a settlement or rural permit, and $200 for a fire during a fire ban. When the Township posts an Extreme fire rating, no burning is allowed in settlement or rural areas.
Firewood brought in from outside the township
The rural permit states that it is not valid for materials transported into Clearview Township. The by-law does not define that phrase. The list of materials in section 3.1, trees, stumps, lumber, furniture, paper and leaves, reads to us as aimed at debris hauled in to be burned, not at a bought load of firewood, but that is a reading, not a ruling. The settlement permit that covers Stayner has no such line.
A rural owner who plans an open fire with purchased firewood from outside the township should ask the people who enforce the by-law. Clearview Fire and Emergency Services takes permit questions at (705) 428-6230 ext. 401. Cottage Care Company sources its wood by the bush cord from local suppliers, and this post makes no claim about how that sourcing sits with the rural clause.
Where the stack goes on a town lot
The 4 metre ring in the settlement permit applies to the outdoor fireplace, and a woodpile is not on the by-law's list of things to keep clear. Dry split hardwood still burns well, so in our judgment the season's stack belongs on the far side of the yard from the fireplace, with only an evening's worth carried over. The owner picks the spot: a rack, the shed, a covered porch, or a reserve outside with a small stack by the door.
Properties past the town edge often have a real outbuilding, and a wood shed or a covered bay keeps a cord drier than a tarp does. The access side of those properties, long driveways and a slower run after a storm, is covered on the page for cottage care in Clearview.
The Community Connect account that sells the permit also lets an owner list hazards for the fire department, such as fuel tanks and auto start generators. A property heated by propane should list the tank there. The tank itself is covered in the guide to cottage propane tank monitoring in winter.
Ordering wood for a Stayner property
Stayner is on the Cottage Care Company daily route across the township, so a Stayner delivery is a stop on a run that already happens. Properties further out toward Creemore and Duntroon are routed rather than one-off drops, and those owners are better served by ordering early, before a storm makes a long driveway hard to reach.
Every delivery is photo-logged to the owner's account with the stacked wood, the location and the quantity. For an owner who is not there every weekend, the top-up option means the rack is checked on regular property visits and refilled before it runs low. The permit belongs to the owner and the address, so the owner buys it; the wood, the stack and the photo are the delivery's part.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a burn permit for a backyard fire in Stayner?
Yes. Clearview requires a burn permit for every outdoor fire, at $10 per property for the calendar year. Stayner is a settlement area, so the permit covers a fire in an enclosed outdoor fireplace in the rear yard, at least 4 metres from buildings, fences and lot lines. An open fire pit needs the Fire Chief to approve it first.
Does a woodstove inside the house need a Clearview burn permit?
No. By-law 14-06 regulates open air fires, which it defines as fires that are not totally enclosed. A woodstove burns in a closed firebox. It still needs seasoned wood under 20% moisture and a clean chimney.
Can I burn firewood from Toronto on a rural Clearview property?
The rural permit says it is not valid for materials transported into Clearview Township, and the by-law does not define that phrase. The clause reads as aimed at hauled-in debris, but it is not settled for bought firewood. Ask Clearview Fire and Emergency Services at (705) 428-6230 ext. 401 before you burn it. The settlement permit for Stayner has no such clause.
What does a cord of firewood cost delivered to Stayner?
Cottage Care Company starts at $499 per bush cord with delivery and stacking included, roughly $166 per 16 inch face cord. The Stayner quote depends on the quantity, the wood type and the carry from the truck to the stack. When comparing another price, ask for the split length first.
How do I know the firewood is seasoned?
Split a piece and read the fresh face with a moisture meter: seasoned hardwood reads under 20%. Ask for the species and the split length at the same time, so the wood fits the stove as well as burning clean.