Fort St. John backyard fire and burning rules

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

Fort St. John, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

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.

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.Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012, s. 30(6), (8); Outdoor Burning and Fireworks, Backyard Fires · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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 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
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.Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012, ss. 29(2), 30(2), 30(4)-(5), 30(7); Outdoor Burning and Fireworks, Burning Permits · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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 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
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.Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012, ss. 29(2), 30(1), Schedule A · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Burning Permits may be issued, cancelled or suspended solely at the discretion Burning Permit 50.00
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.Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012, s. 29(3)-(4) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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
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.Yard Waste Drop-off; https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/solid-waste-management-bylaw-no, s. 3.29 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording The City provides a regular Yard Waste Drop-off for city residents during the summer months 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
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.Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012, Schedule H · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Open burning fire without burning permit Burning contrary to general fire ban Fire too large Fire Unattended 200.00
Bylaw	Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012 (Part 6, Burning Requirements)Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012, title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 2106, 2012

How it works

The Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw 2106 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

For a backyard fire, use a device designed to contain fire, no more than 1 metre across.
Keep it at least 4.5 metres from all buildings and property lines.
Burn only clean dry wood, briquettes or propane.
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

The same question in other places

Dawson Creek · Pouce Coupe · Hudson's Hope · Chetwynd · Tumbler Ridge · Mackenzie

Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Outdoor Burning and Fireworks, City of Fort St. John (read 2026-11-05)
Fire Prevention and Regulation Bylaw No. 2106, 2012 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Yard Waste Drop-off, City of Fort St. John (read 2026-11-05)
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. How answers are checked.