---
title: Fort St. John backyard fire and burning rules
question: "Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in Fort St. John?"
place: Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/fort-st-john
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Fort St. John
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/backyard-fire/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/backyard-fire.json"
---

# Fort St. John backyard fire and burning rules

**Question:** Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in Fort St. John?

**Short answer:** In Fort St. John, a backyard fire needs no permit if it is in a device made to contain it, no more than 1 metre across, burning only clean dry wood, briquettes or propane, and at least 4.5 metres from all buildings and property lines. Any open burning, such as yard waste, needs a $50 burning permit.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Fort St. John, https://www.fortstjohn.ca)  
**Cost:** Burning permit $50. Municipal ticket $200 for open burning without a permit and similar offences.  
**Where:**
- Phone: City Hall (ask for the Fire Department), 250-787-8150 (Burning permits for yard waste are issued by telephone.)

## Key facts

- **Backyard campfires:** Allowed without a permit if the fire is in a device designed to contain it, no more than 1 metre across, burning only clean dry wood, briquettes or propane, and at least 4.5 m from all buildings and property lines.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012, s. 30(6), (8)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/fire-prevention-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "Permit requirements shall not apply to outdoor cooking fires which includes" … "not exceeding 1 metre in diameter" … "minimum of 4.5 meters from all property lines and buildings"
  - Source: [Outdoor Burning and Fireworks, Backyard Fires](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/fire-department/community-fire-safety/outdoor-burning-and-fireworks)
  - Official wording: "The Fire Pit does not exceed 1 meter in diameter" … "Fire Pits are not located within 4.5 meters of any building or property line"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Burning yard waste:** Any open burning needs a burning permit. A permit may be issued by telephone for organic yard waste (garden refuse, pruning, branches) on lots of one acre or more. Fires must be no more than 2 m high and 3 m wide, at least 3 m from combustibles, hand-fed, and attended. No burning of construction materials, pallets, debris or household garbage.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012, ss. 29(2), 30(2), 30(4)-(5), 30(7)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/fire-prevention-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "unless the person first obtains a Burning Permit" … "on lots that are one (1) acre in size or" … "greater than two (2.0) metres in height" … "less than three (3.0) metres from any" … "construction materials, pallets and debris or household garbage"
  - Source: [Outdoor Burning and Fireworks, Burning Permits](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/fire-department/community-fire-safety/outdoor-burning-and-fireworks)
  - Official wording: "by telephone for burning organic yard waste such as garden refuse, pruning and wood branches on lots that are one (1) acre in size or greater"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permit:** Yes, for open burning (not for small backyard fire pits). It is issued at the discretion of the Fire Chief or an officer; the fee is $50.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012, ss. 29(2), 30(1), Schedule A](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/fire-prevention-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "Burning Permits may be issued, cancelled or suspended solely at the discretion" … "Burning Permit" … "50.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fire bans:** The Fire Chief may impose a general ban on all open burning while atmospheric conditions are poor for smoke to disperse. Cooking fires in City parks are also banned under a general burning ban.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012, s. 29(3)-(4)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/fire-prevention-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "the Fire Chief" … "may impose a general ban on all Open Burning for the duration of the said" … "Cooking Fires in any City Park contrary to"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Instead of burning:** Yard waste can go to the City's drop-off days (10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 2026 dates posted) or the regional district landfill at 7014 269 Road during business hours. Bylaw s. 3.29 allows grass trimmings and leaves in garbage carts, but s. 3.27(a) bans yard waste in carts; check with the City.
  - Source: [Yard Waste Drop-off](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/garbage-and-recycling/yard-waste-drop)
  - Official wording: "The City provides a regular Yard Waste Drop-off for city residents during the summer months"
  - Source: [https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/solid-waste-management-bylaw-no, s. 3.29](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/solid-waste-management-bylaw-no)
  - Official wording: "All yard waste is accepted at the Peace River" … "Grass trimmings and leaves only will be accepted in garbage carts" … "yard waste, liquid wastes or sludges, appliances or power tools, batteries," … "only will be accepted in garbage carts. All yard waste is accepted at the Peace River"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket: $200 for open burning without a permit, burning during a general fire ban, a fire that is too large, too close to combustibles, not hand-fed, unattended, or burning prohibited materials.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012, Schedule H](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/fire-prevention-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "Open burning fire without burning permit" … "Burning contrary to general fire ban" … "Fire too large" … "Fire Unattended" … "200.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012 (Part 6, Burning Requirements)
  - Source: [Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012, title](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/fire-prevention-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 2106, 2012"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw 2106](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/fire-prevention-bylaw) lets Fort St. John residents have a small fire without a permit. Anything else is open burning and needs a burning permit, issued at the Fire Chief's or an officer's discretion. The fee is $50.

## Steps

1. For a backyard fire, use a device designed to contain fire, no more than 1 metre across.
2. Keep it at least 4.5 metres from all buildings and property lines.
3. Burn only clean dry wood, briquettes or propane.
4. To burn organic yard waste (garden refuse, pruning, branches), phone the City for a permit. Permits by telephone are for lots of one acre or more.

## Good to know

- Open burning fires may be no more than 2 metres high and 3 metres wide, at least 3 metres from combustibles, hand-fed, and attended.
- Never burn construction materials, pallets, debris or household garbage.
- Permits may also be issued for stumps and land clearing (an air curtain burner is required), hand-fed fires smaller than 3 metres wide, and special events.
- The Fire Chief may ban all open burning while smoke will not disperse. Neither the bylaw nor the City page says where to check whether a ban is in effect, so ask the Fire Department.
- In City parks, only a portable propane fire pit is allowed, and cooking fires are banned during a general burning ban.
- Instead of burning, yard waste can go to the City's drop-off days or the regional district landfill at 7014 269 Road. See the yard waste answer.
- A municipal ticket is $200 for open burning without a permit, burning during a ban, or a fire that is too large, too close to combustibles, unattended or burning prohibited materials. The bylaw's general fine range is $50 to $10,000.

## Official forms and pages

- [Outdoor Burning and Fireworks, City of Fort St. John](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/fire-department/community-fire-safety/outdoor-burning-and-fireworks)
- [Fire Prevention Bylaw 2106, 2012 (PDF)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/fire-prevention-bylaw)

## Related questions

- [Fort St. John fireworks rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/fireworks.md)
- [Fort St. John bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/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)
- [Dawson Creek](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/backyard-fire.md)
- [Pouce Coupe](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/backyard-fire.md)
- [Hudson's Hope](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hudsons-hope/backyard-fire.md)
- [Chetwynd](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/backyard-fire.md)
- [Tumbler Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tumbler-ridge/backyard-fire.md)
- [Mackenzie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/backyard-fire.md)

## Sources

- [Outdoor Burning and Fireworks, City of Fort St. John](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/fire-department/community-fire-safety/outdoor-burning-and-fireworks) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012 (PDF)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/fire-prevention-bylaw) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Yard Waste Drop-off, City of Fort St. John](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/garbage-and-recycling/yard-waste-drop) (read 2026-11-05)
- [https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/solid-waste-management-bylaw-no](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/solid-waste-management-bylaw-no) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 7 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Fort St. John. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/backyard-fire/_