100 Mile House backyard fire and burning rules
Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in 100 Mile House?
Short answer
In 100 Mile House, campfires are allowed with the owner's permission if they are no bigger than 0.5 m by 0.5 m, burn seasoned wood and are attended. Burning yard waste is banned. The District's burning permit form is for campfires only; call Fire-Rescue at 250-395-2152.
Key facts
| Backyard campfires | Allowed with the property owner's permission if fuelled by seasoned wood, no larger than 0.5 m x 0.5 m, and attended by a competent person with enough equipment. Keep 3 m from combustible material. Not allowed when the Ministry of Forests rates fire hazard 'high' or at any other time the Ministry deems it dangerous.Open Burning Bylaw No. 1480, 2026, s. 4.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wording4.1 Campfires are permitted with the permission of the property owner provided that the fire is fueled by seasoned wood and provided the fire is no larger than 0.5 metre x 0.5 metre in size No campfires will be allowed when the fire hazard is rated as “high” by the Ministry of Forests A minimum separation of three metres shall be maintained between campfires and any combustible material. |
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| Burning yard waste | Not for ordinary yard waste. Burning garbage, compostable materials (grass, leaves, garden waste, weeds, plant and tree waste) or prohibited materials is banned, as are burning barrels and incinerators. Open burning needs an approved permit and a permitted burning period. In agricultural or industrial zones the Fire Chief may permit brush and slash piles.Open Burning Bylaw No. 1480, 2026, s. 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.9; Open Burning Bylaw No. 1480, 2026, Definitions · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingNo person shall conduct open burning unless in accordance with an approved burning permit, and during a permitted burning period. No person shall burn garbage, compostable materials, or prohibited materials. No person shall conduct open burning by use of an incinerator, burning barrel, in any area zone “Agricultural” or “Industrial” “Compostable Materials” means waste products from plants, trees, or other vegetation that are naturally biodegradable including grass clippings, leaves, tree needles, garden waste, and weeds. |
| Permit | Open burning needs a permit from the Fire Chief or designate (100 Mile House Fire-Rescue). Bylaw s. 4.1 allows campfires with the owner's permission and mentions no permit, but the District's permit form is for campfires only and Fire-Rescue tells residents to apply. Allow 3 business days; permits expire Dec. 31. No fee stated.Sources differ: Bylaw s. 4.1 permits campfires with the owner's permission and does not mention a permit, but s. 3.1 says campfires and open burning are not permitted except in accordance with the bylaw, and the District's form issues 'Category 1: Campfire Only' permits. Bylaw wins on the wording, but the District's page and form indicate a permit is expected. No fee found on the form or in Fees and Charges Bylaw 1434. Fire-Rescue phone on the form: 250-395-2152.Open Burning Bylaw No. 1480, 2026, s. 5.1, 5.12; Burning Permit 2026 form; 100 Mile House Fire-Rescue, Fire Permit and Burning Information, Fire Permit & Burning Information · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingAll persons conducting “Open Burning” under the provisions of the Bylaw must submit an application for a Burning Permit in the form provided by the District of Every application for a fire permit pursuant to this bylaw shall be made to the Fire Campfires are permitted with the permission of the property owner provided that No person shall conduct open burning unless in accordance with an approved ** All Permits expire on Dec.31st of each year and are not valid during burning bans ** Category 1: Campfire Only (0.5 meter X 0.5 meter max. in size) Please allow 3 business days for processing of application To obtain a burning permit please complete and submit a Burning Permit Application |
| Fire bans | The Fire Chief may order a total ban on burning and suspend or cancel permits. Issued burn permits are invalid during fire bans, and campfires are not allowed when the Ministry of Forests rates the hazard 'high'.Open Burning Bylaw No. 1480, 2026, s. 5.16; 100 Mile House Fire-Rescue, Fire Permit and Burning Information, Fire Permit & Burning Information · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordinghe/she may order a total ban suspend, cancel or restrict for such time as he/she may deem necessary any or all burning permits issued ALL ISSUED BURN PERMITS INVALID DURING FIRE BANS |
| Instead of burning | Fire-Rescue encourages residents to look at alternatives to burning. Yard waste is accepted at the Cariboo Regional District's South Cariboo Landfill, 1500 Gustafson Lake FSR, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; leaves, grass, cones and sawdust are free.South Cariboo Landfill, Cariboo Regional District, Location, Hours of Operation, Accepted Products · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wording1500 Gustafson Lake FSR (across from old Norbord Mill) Household garbage, yard waste, clean wood waste, metal waste, demolition waste. |
| Fine | Bylaw notice for open-burning offences (campfire, no approved permit, banned materials, banned device, nuisance, oversized fire): $50 if paid within 14 days, $100 from day 15 to 28, $110 after 28 days. The owner also pays Fire Department costs (s. 8.1).Council agenda package, September 8, 2026, Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1429 Schedule A, Bylaw 1429 Schedule A, Bylaw 1480 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wording3.1 Unauthorized campfire $50.00 $100.00 $110.00 5.1 Open burning without approved permit 50.00 100.00 110.00 5.3 Open burning of non-permitted material 50.00 100.00 110.00 |
| Bylaw | District of 100 Mile House Open Burning Bylaw No. 1480, 2026.Open Burning Bylaw No. 1480, 2026, s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingThis Bylaw may be cited as the "District of 100 Mile House Open Burning Bylaw No. 1480, 2026.” |
How it works
The Open Burning Bylaw No. 1480 allows a campfire with the property owner's permission if it burns seasoned wood, is no larger than 0.5 m by 0.5 m, is attended by a competent person with enough equipment, and stays 3 m from combustible material. Campfires are not allowed when the Ministry of Forests rates the fire hazard "high" or at any other time the Ministry deems it dangerous.
Open burning of yard waste is not allowed. The bylaw bans burning garbage, compostable materials (grass, leaves, garden waste, weeds, plant and tree waste) and prohibited materials, and bans burning barrels and incinerators. In agricultural or industrial zones the Fire Chief may permit brush and slash piles.
Steps
- Read the bylaw and the Fire Permit and Burning Information page. The bylaw does not mention a permit for campfires, but the District's permit form covers campfires only, and Fire-Rescue tells residents to apply.
- Fill in the Burning Permit form and send it to Fire-Rescue. Allow 3 business days.
- Before you light any fire, confirm no ban is in effect. The District's pages do not say where to check; call 250-395-2152 or see www.100milefire.com.
Good to know
- The Fire Chief may order a total ban on burning and suspend or cancel permits. Issued permits are invalid during a ban.
- Fires on a highway, street, lane, park or other public place are not allowed unless the Fire Chief authorizes them.
- Brush permits in agricultural or industrial zones are for Monday to Friday only, 50 m from buildings, with piles no more than 5 m across or 3 m high and someone watching until the fire is out. Burning cleared land for rezoning, subdivision or development is banned.
- Fire-Rescue encourages alternatives to burning. The Cariboo Regional District's South Cariboo Landfill takes yard waste; see the yard waste answer.
- Bylaw notices for open-burning offences are $100 ($50 if paid within 14 days, $110 after 28 days). The owner also pays Fire Department costs.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Williams Lake · Cache Creek · Barriere · Clearwater · Ashcroft · Lillooet
Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Open Burning Bylaw No. 1480, 2026 (PDF), District of 100 Mile House (read 2026-11-08)
- 100 Mile House Fire-Rescue, Fire Permit and Burning Information, District of 100 Mile House (read 2026-11-08)
- Burning Permit 2026 form (PDF), District of 100 Mile House (read 2026-11-08)
- Council agenda package, September 8, 2026, Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1429 Schedule A (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
- South Cariboo Landfill, Cariboo Regional District (read 2026-11-08)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 7 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.