---
title: Bowen Island backyard fire and burning rules
question: "Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in Bowen Island?"
place: Bowen Island, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/bowen-island
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: shared
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/backyard-fire/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/backyard-fire.json"
---

# Bowen Island backyard fire and burning rules

**Question:** Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in Bowen Island?

**Short answer:** In Bowen Island you can have a recreational campfire up to 0.5 metres high and 0.5 metres wide, burning clean dry wood, without a permit. Burning yard waste needs a Category 2 permit ($50) and a Metro Vancouver registration. No fires are allowed during a ban or extreme fire danger.

**Who handles it:** More than one level of government  
**Cost:** Campfire: no permit. Category 2 (yard clean-up) permit $50; Category 3 (land clearing) $300.  
**How long:** A Category 2 permit is valid October 15 to April 15 of one burn season.  
**Where:**
- Online: Burn permits (Bowen Island Fire Rescue), https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bowen-island-fire-rescue/burn-permits/
- Phone: Bowen Island Fire Hall (non-emergency), 604-947-9324
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 604-947-4255 ext. 2 (Municipal offices: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Backyard campfires:** Allowed on private property without a permit: a recreational campfire no bigger than 0.5 m high by 0.5 m wide, burning only clean dry wood. Not allowed during an outdoor burning ban or extreme fire danger. Campfires are restricted by Fire Danger Rating.
  - Source: [Fire and Rescue Services Bylaw No. 650, 2024, Bowen Island Municipality, ss. 1, 5.8(a), 5.9](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/314707/)
  - Official wording: "except during an outdoor burning ban or during" … "extreme fire danger, campfires can be started and maintained at anytime without a" … "permit on private property." … "no larger than 0.5 m in height and 0.5 m in width" … "Only clean dry"
  - Source: [Burn Permits, Bowen Island Fire Rescue, Category 1](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bowen-island-fire-rescue/burn-permits/)
  - Official wording: "You do not need a permit to have a campfire." … "Campfires are restricted based on Fire Danger Rating."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Burning yard waste:** The bylaw prohibits open-air burning of residential waste, including household and yard materials, except as allowed. A Category 2 permit can allow yard clean-up burning of 1 to 2 piles up to 2 m high by 3 m wide, only from October 15 to April 15 and only when Metro Vancouver's ventilation index allows. Page conditions: at least 100 m from neighbouring buildings and 500 m from hospitals, schools and community care facilities; up to 6 days a month and 12 days a year; material must come from the property.
  - Source: [Fire and Rescue Services Bylaw No. 650, 2024, Bowen Island Municipality, ss. 5.7, 5.9](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/314707/)
  - Official wording: "Burning of residential" … "waste, including both household and yard materials, is strictly prohibited in the open air." … "Open air burning may only occur between October 15th of a given year and April 15th of the" … "Open air burning may only occur when the ventilation index allows"
  - Source: [Category 2 Burning Permit, Bowen Island Municipality, Conditions](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/permits/burn-permits/category-2-burning-permit/)
  - Official wording: "Do not burn more than 12 days or portions of days in a year and 6 days or portions of days in a month." … "at least 100 metres from any building that is a neighbouring residence or place of work" … "at least 500 metres from the nearest property line of a hospital, school, or community care facility." … "The materials to be burned shall have originated on the property for which the permit is issued."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit:** Yes for Category 2 (yard clean-up) and Category 3 (land clearing); no permit for a small campfire. First register with Metro Vancouver and get a registration number, then apply to Bowen Island Fire Rescue; the Fire Chief verifies the site, then you pay. Fees: Category 2 $50, Category 3 $300.
  - Source: [Fees and charges bylaw schedule with burn permit fees, Bowen Island Municipality, Schedule A](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/323003/)
  - Official wording: "Category 2 – Yard Clean-Up Burn Permit $50" … "Category 3 – Land Clearing Burn Permit $300"
  - Source: [Burn Permits, Bowen Island Fire Rescue, How do I apply](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bowen-island-fire-rescue/burn-permits/)
  - Official wording: "Obtain burn authorization from Metro Vancouver" … "Wait for the Fire Chief to verify the eligibility for your burn pile location."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fire bans:** The Fire Chief may order that no one light a campfire or use a wood or charcoal grill, barbecue or fireplace, and may suspend or deny permits. The Fire Chief updates the Fire Danger Rating notice board in Snug Cove; the municipality's Fire Danger Rating page says open burning is not permitted between April 15 and October 15.
  - Source: [Fire and Rescue Services Bylaw No. 650, 2024, Bowen Island Municipality, s. 5.10](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/314707/)
  - Official wording: "Order that a person not light, ignite, start, or maintain, or allow or cause to be lighted," … "Suspend, revoke or deny any Permits."
  - Source: [Fire Danger Rating, Bowen Island Fire Rescue](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bowen-island-fire-rescue/fire-danger-rating/)
  - Official wording: "The Fire Chief updates the Fire Danger Rating notice board in Snug Cove as conditions change." … "Open burning is not permitted between April 15 and October 15."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Instead of burning:** Yard trimmings are collected with organics every Wednesday: up to three cans, bags or bundles per property (sticks tied in bundles). The municipality encourages composting yard waste.
  - Source: [Organics Collection, Bowen Island Municipality, Yard waste](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/garbage-collection/organics-collection/)
  - Official wording: "Yard trimmings are collected with organics every Wednesday." … "Sticks should be tied into bundles." … "We encourage residents to compost their yard waste for garden reuse"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** No bylaw notice amount is listed for open burning without a permit (s. 5.7). Listed notices: failing to comply with permit requirements $500 ($475 early, $500 late); violating a fire ban order $300 ($275 early, $325 late); causing a fire hazard $200 ($175 early, $225 late). Court proceedings under the Offence Act carry a fine of $2,000 to $50,000.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 196, 2008 (consolidated March 2026), Bowen Island Municipality, Schedule AO](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/339717/)
  - Official wording: "5.9 Fail to comply with Permit 500 475 500" … "5.12(b) Violate fire ban Order 300 275 325" … "5.2 Cause fire hazard 200 175 225"
  - Source: [Fire and Rescue Services Bylaw No. 650, 2024, Bowen Island Municipality, s. 9.18](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/314707/)
  - Official wording: "(a) if proceedings are brought under the Offence Act, to pay a minimum fine of $2,000, to a" … "maximum fine of $50,000; or"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Bowen Island Municipality Fire and Rescue Services Bylaw No. 650, 2024. Metro Vancouver's Open Burning Emission Regulation Bylaw No. 1355 also applies to Category 2 and 3 burning.
  - Source: [Fire and Rescue Services Bylaw No. 650, 2024, Bowen Island Municipality, title](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/314707/)
  - Official wording: "Fire and Rescue Services Bylaw No.650, 2024"
  - Source: [Burn Permits, Bowen Island Fire Rescue, Category 2](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bowen-island-fire-rescue/burn-permits/)
  - Official wording: "you must first register under Metro Vancouver’s Open Burning Emission Regulation Bylaw No. 1355"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under the [Fire and Rescue Services Bylaw No. 650, 2024](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/314707/), a recreational campfire on private property needs no permit if it is no bigger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide and burns only clean dry wood. It is not allowed during an outdoor burning ban or extreme fire danger. The bylaw prohibits open-air burning of residential waste, including household and yard materials, except as allowed. Metro Vancouver's Open Burning Emission Regulation Bylaw No. 1355 also applies to Category 2 and 3 burning.

## Steps

For yard clean-up burning (Category 2) or land clearing (Category 3):

1. Register with Metro Vancouver and get a registration number.
2. Apply to Bowen Island Fire Rescue through the [Burn Permits page](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bowen-island-fire-rescue/burn-permits/).
3. The Fire Chief verifies the site, then you pay: Category 2 is $50, Category 3 is $300.

## Good to know

- A Category 2 permit allows 1 to 2 piles up to 2 metres high by 3 metres wide, only from October 15 to April 15 and only when Metro Vancouver's ventilation index allows. Conditions on the page include at least 100 metres from neighbouring buildings and 500 metres from hospitals, schools and community care facilities, up to 6 days a month and 12 days a year, and material must come from the property.
- The Fire Chief may order that no one light a campfire or use a wood or charcoal grill, barbecue or fireplace, and may suspend or deny permits. The [Fire Danger Rating page](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bowen-island-fire-rescue/fire-danger-rating/) says open burning is not permitted between April 15 and October 15. Check it for the current rating.
- Yard trimmings are collected with organics every Wednesday: up to three cans, bags or bundles per property, with sticks tied in bundles.
- No bylaw notice amount is listed for open burning without a permit. Failing to comply with permit requirements is $500; violating a fire ban order is $300; causing a fire hazard is $200. Court proceedings under the Offence Act carry a fine of $2,000 to $50,000.
- Questions: Bowen Island Fire Hall (non-emergency) 604-947-9324.

## Official forms and pages

- [Fire and Rescue Services Bylaw No. 650, 2024 (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/314707/)
- [Burn Permits, Bowen Island Fire Rescue](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bowen-island-fire-rescue/burn-permits/)
- [Category 2 Burning Permit, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/permits/burn-permits/category-2-burning-permit/)
- [Fire Danger Rating, Bowen Island Fire Rescue](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bowen-island-fire-rescue/fire-danger-rating/)

## Related questions

- [Bowen Island fireworks rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/fireworks.md)
- [Bowen Island yard waste collection and drop-off](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/yard-waste.md)
- [Bowen Island bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-fire.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/backyard-fire.md)
- [Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/backyard-fire.md)
- [Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/backyard-fire.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/backyard-fire.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/backyard-fire.md)
- [Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/backyard-fire.md)

## Sources

- [Fire and Rescue Services Bylaw No. 650, 2024 (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/314707/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Burn Permits, Bowen Island Fire Rescue](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bowen-island-fire-rescue/burn-permits/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Category 2 Burning Permit, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/permits/burn-permits/category-2-burning-permit/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fees and charges bylaw schedule with burn permit fees (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/323003/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fire Danger Rating, Bowen Island Fire Rescue](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bowen-island-fire-rescue/fire-danger-rating/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Organics Collection, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/garbage-collection/organics-collection/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 196, 2008 (consolidated March 2026) (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/339717/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/contact/) (read 2026-11-08)

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