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Grand Forks backyard fire and burning rules

Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste?

Grand Forks, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In the City of Grand Forks, outdoor fires need a permit from the Fire Chief, and no burning is allowed during fire bans. A campfire may be no larger than 0.5 m. Bylaw 2120 allows burning only clean, dry natural vegetation, but the City's campfire page says burning garden waste is prohibited, so check first.

Key facts

Backyard campfiresAllowed only with a Fire Chief campfire permit: no larger than 0.5 m in length, width and height, inside a ring of concrete, rock or steel or on mineral soil, burning clean, dry, untreated wood, supervised at all times and fully extinguished. At least 5 m from property lines and buildings and 3 m from combustibles.Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120, ss. 2.3, 28-29; Campfire Permit, Conditions and Restrictions · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
“Campfire” means an Outdoor Fire no larger than 0.5 metres in length, width, and height
A Person shall ensure that Campfires are supervised at all times and are fully extinguished before being left unattended.
Fire must be fully contained inside a ring of concrete, rock, steel, or on the ground surrounded mineral soil
Fire must not be located within 5 meters (16 Feet) from adjoining property lines and buildings, or 3 meters (9 feet) from any combustibles
Burning yard wasteBylaw 2120 allows outdoor burning only of clean, dry, natural vegetation, under a Fire Chief permit and never during fire bans. The City's campfire permit page says burning garden waste (grass, clippings, leaves, prunings) is prohibited. No page describes a permit for brush piles; ask the Fire Department.Sources differ: Bylaw 2120 s. 26 permits burning 'natural vegetation' under a permit while the City's campfire page prohibits burning garden waste; the page is the stricter. No page read describes a permit for brush piles. The campfire page and a 2024 notice (campfire prohibition rescinded August 26, 2024) are dated or current-condition notices; check BC Wildfire Service for any bans in effect.Campfire Permit, Restrictions; Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120, ss. 25-27 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
It is expressly prohibited to burn garden waste, including but not limited to, grass, hedge clippings, leaves, prunings, pine needles, etc., within the City boundaries.
A Person shall not ignite an Outdoor Fire unless authorized by permit issued by the Fire Chief
A Person conducting an Outdoor Fire shall ensure that only clean, dry, natural vegetation is burned.
A Person shall not burn an Outdoor Fire during provincial or local fire bans.
PermitYes. Outdoor fires need a permit from the Fire Chief, and campfire permits are renewed annually by a process the Fire Chief sets. The City's campfire page says the first permit lasts one day, the second three months and later ones six months. No fee found.Sources differ: No permit fee found in the Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1958 (consolidated through A20) or on the City pages. Bylaw 2120 s. 30 says campfire permits are renewed annually by a process the Fire Chief sets, which differs from the page's one-day, three-month and six-month terms.Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120, ss. 25, 30; Campfire Permit, Permit Duration · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
A Person shall renew Campfire permits annually using the process determined by the Fire Chief.
A Person shall not ignite an Outdoor Fire unless authorized by permit issued by the Fire Chief
The first issued permit will be valid for one day
The second issued permit will be valid for a duration of three months
Any further issued permits will be valid for a duration of six months
Fire bansNo burning during provincial or local fire bans, even with a permit. The venting index must be 55 or better (call 1-888-281-2992). Check BC Wildfire Service Southeast Fire Centre bans and restrictions on gov.bc.ca.Campfire Permit, Conditions and Restrictions; Public Services, Southeast Fire Centre notice · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Burning is prohibited while a fire ban is in place even if a permit has been issued
The venting index must be 55 or better (good) during the time of the burn. Call 1-888-281-2992
Southeast Fire Centre bans and restrictions – Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)
Instead of burningCurbside yard waste collection runs nine times a year on dates set by the garbage collector: up to three cans, compostable paper bags or bundles, each up to 22 kg.Residential Garbage Collection Regulation Bylaw No. 1798, s. 9 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Yard waste will be collected by the Garbage Collector nine times per year, on the dates specified by the Garbage Collector.
to a maximum of three such containers, bags or bundles.
FineNo ticket amount is listed for burning without a permit under Bylaw 2120. The ticket schedule's $200 is for the older Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 1965 (s. 8.1), so it may not apply. The City's fire page says fines up to $2,000 or the cost of putting out the fire are possible.Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2073, Schedule F; Fire and Rescue, Campfire Permit section · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Burning without permit $200.00
CITY OF GRAND FORKS FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY BYLAW No. 1965, 2013
may be subject to fines up to $2,000 or be charged with the cost of putting out the fire by their fire service.
BylawGrand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120.Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120, s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
This bylaw may be cited as the “Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120”

How it works

Under the Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120, outdoor fires need a permit from the Fire Chief, and burning is not allowed during provincial or local fire bans, even with a permit. A campfire permit allows a fire no larger than 0.5 m in length, width and height, inside a ring of concrete, rock or steel or on mineral soil. Burn only clean, dry, untreated wood, keep it supervised at all times, and fully extinguish it. Stay at least 5 m from property lines and buildings and 3 m from combustibles.

Steps

  1. Apply for a campfire permit through the City's Campfire Permit page.
  2. Check for fire bans before each fire, using the BC Wildfire Service Southeast Fire Centre bans and restrictions page on gov.bc.ca.
  3. The venting index must be 55 or better; call 1-888-281-2992.

Good to know

  • Burning yard waste: the bylaw allows outdoor burning only of clean, dry, natural vegetation, under a permit. The City's campfire page says burning garden waste (grass, clippings, leaves, prunings) is prohibited. The page is stricter; confirm with Fire/Rescue at 250-442-3612. No page describes a permit for brush piles.
  • Permit length: the bylaw says campfire permits are renewed annually by a process the Fire Chief sets. The City's page says the first permit lasts one day, the second three months and later ones six months.
  • Curbside yard waste collection runs nine times a year; see the yard waste answer.
  • No ticket amount is listed for burning without a permit under Bylaw 2120. The City's fire page says fines up to $2,000 or the cost of putting out the fire are possible.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Greenwood · Midway · Rossland · Warfield · Trail · Montrose

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

Sources

  1. Grand Forks Fire and Life Safety Bylaw No. 2120 (PDF), City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
  2. Campfire Permit, City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
  3. Fire and Rescue, City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
  4. Public Services, City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
  5. Residential Garbage Collection Regulation Bylaw No. 1798 (PDF), City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
  6. Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2073, Schedule F (PDF), City of Grand Forks (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.