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Kamloops backyard fire and burning rules

Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste?

Kamloops, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In Kamloops, any open air fire needs a permit from Kamloops Fire Rescue, and the City issues permits for burning yard waste only in April and October, on residential or farm properties of 1 acre or more. Burning is prohibited on smaller lots, so an ordinary city lot cannot have a wood fire.

Key facts

Backyard campfiresThe bylaw has no separate campfire or fire-pit rule. Any 'Open Air Fire' needs a City permit; only open cooking fires in non-combustible containers using charcoal briquettes or CSA-approved propane or natural gas appliances are excluded. The City's Burning Permits page says a minimum of 1 acre is required for all permits, so no permit route is described for a smaller lot.Fire Prevention and Public Safety Bylaw No. 10-44, s. 2 "Open Air Fire"; s. 8.1; Burning Permits, Burning Permits & Costs · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
but does not include open cooking fires in non-combustible containers using only charcoal briquettes or CSA-approved propane or natural gas cooking appliances
no person shall ignite or start an Open Air Fire or allow or cause an Open Air Fire to be ignited or started without first having obtained an Open Air Fire permit
A minimum 1 acre is required for all permits.
Burning yard wasteBurning yard and garden waste is allowed only with a permit, in April and October only, on residential or farm properties of 1 acre or more (not strata or condominium complexes). Burning is prohibited on properties under 1 acre. No burning after dark or outside the Venting Index, and no permits when the Fire Danger Rating is HIGH or EXTREME. Burn barrels, burn cages and chimineas are banned.Burning Permits, page; Fire Prevention and Public Safety Bylaw No. 10-44, ss. 8.5, 8.7, 8.8 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
For the months of April and October only, open burning of yard and garden waste on properties of 1 ac. (43,560 sq. ft.) or greater
Burning is prohibited on properties less than 1 acre (43,560 sq. ft.)
Permits are not issued when Fire Danger Rating is HIGH or EXTREME.
Residential or farm properties only, no strata or condominium complexes.
No burning after dark
on parcels that exceed one (1) acre in size
No person shall erect or use any burn barrels, burn cages, or chimanea within the City at any time.
PermitYes, from the Fire Chief (Kamloops Fire Rescue). General open air fire permit $100: picked up in person at Fire Hall No. 1, 1205 Summit Drive, Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., cash or cheque, phone 250-372-5131. Hazard-abatement or fuel-modification permit $75 and agricultural burning permit $75 (online; inspection required).Fire Prevention and Public Safety Bylaw No. 10-44, ss. 8.1, 8.2; Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 44-14, Schedule K; Burning Permits, page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
may issue an Open Air Fire permit subject to any fees specified in Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 44-14
Open Air Fire permit – general 8.2 $100.00
Open Air Fire permit – hazard abatement or fuel modification 8.5 $75.00
Open Air Fire permit – agricultural burning 8.6 $75.00
Permits for burning within Kamloops must be picked up at:
Burning permits will only be issued from Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Fire bansProvincial open fire prohibitions (fire bans) are set by BC Wildfire Service orders, listed by fire centre on the Province's fire bans page; check local government for additional restrictions. Locally, no burning permits are issued when the Fire Danger Rating is HIGH or EXTREME, and burning depends on the daily Venting Index (call 250-372-5131; updated after 8:00 a.m.).Fire bans and restrictions, Province of BC, page; Burning Permits, page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Prohibitions and restrictions apply to land specified in legal orders issued by the BC Wildfire Service.
always check with local government authorities for any other open fire restrictions
Permits are not issued when Fire Danger Rating is HIGH or EXTREME.
Venting Index information is updated daily after 8:00 am.
Instead of burningCompost, mulch or reuse wood waste on your own property; put small yard waste in the weekly organics cart; or drop yard waste off free at the City's yard waste sites: Cinnamon Ridge (4045 Tranquille Road), Barnhartvale (970 Eliza Road) and Bunker Road (1455 Bunker Road).Burning Permits, page; Residential Organics, page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Compost, mulch, or reuse wood waste as much as possible on your own property.
Drop off yard waste for free at City sites:
small branches, twigs, and prunings no larger than 30 cm in length (1 foot) and 2 cm in diameter (~1 inch)
Fine$750 for lighting or allowing an open air fire without a permit (s. 8.1) and $750 for not following permit conditions (s. 8.3). $500 for using a portable incinerator (s. 8.7) or a burn barrel, burn cage or chiminea (s. 8.8).Sources differ: The City Burning Permits page says failing to comply with permit conditions 'may result in a $500 fine'. Fire Prevention and Public Safety Bylaw Schedule A and the Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw Schedule G both show $750 (minimum fine), so the bylaw amount is used.Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw, Schedule G · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Igniting, starting, allowing, or causing an Open Air Fire 8.1 $750.00
Erecting or using a burn barrel, burn cage, or chimanea 8.8 $500.00
BylawFire Prevention and Public Safety Bylaw No. 10-44, 2025 (permit fees: Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 44-14, Schedule K)Fire Prevention and Public Safety Bylaw No. 10-44, s. 1.1; Fire Prevention and Public Safety Bylaw No. 10-44, s. 1.4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
This Bylaw may be cited as "Fire Prevention and Public Safety Bylaw No. 10-44, 2025.”
This Bylaw will come into force and effect on February 1, 2026.

How it works

Kamloops Fire Rescue issues permits under the Fire Prevention and Public Safety Bylaw No. 10-44. The bylaw has no separate campfire or fire pit rule: any "open air fire" needs a permit. Only open cooking fires in non-combustible containers using charcoal briquettes or CSA-approved propane or natural gas appliances are excluded. The City's page says a minimum of 1 acre is required for all permits, so no permit route is described for a smaller lot.

Steps

  1. Confirm your residential or farm property is at least 1 acre (not a strata or condominium complex) and that it is April or October.
  2. Check the daily Venting Index (call 250-372-5131; updated after 8 a.m.) and the fire danger rating. No permits are issued when the rating is HIGH or EXTREME.
  3. Pick up the $100 general permit in person at Fire Hall No. 1, 1205 Summit Drive.
  4. Burn only within the Venting Index and not after dark.

Good to know

  • Burn barrels, burn cages and chimineas are banned. The City recommends not burning when the Air Quality Health Index is 7 or higher.
  • Provincial fire bans are set by BC Wildfire Service orders; check the Province's fire bans page and your local government for more restrictions.
  • Tickets: $750 for an open air fire without a permit or for not following permit conditions; $500 for a portable incinerator, burn barrel, burn cage or chiminea.
  • Alternatives: compost or mulch on your property, use the weekly organics cart, or drop yard waste off free at Cinnamon Ridge (4045 Tranquille Road), Barnhartvale (970 Eliza Road) or Bunker Road (1455 Bunker Road).
  • On Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc land, permits come from the First Nation.

What you'll need

  • Proof the property is residential or farm and at least 1 acre

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Sun Peaks · Barriere · Logan Lake · Ashcroft · Cache Creek · Merritt

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

Sources

  1. Burning Permits, City of Kamloops (read 2026-11-05)
  2. Fire Prevention and Public Safety Bylaw No. 10-44 (PDF), City of Kamloops (read 2026-11-05)
  3. Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 44-14, Schedule K (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  4. Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw, Schedule G (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  5. Fire bans and restrictions, Province of BC (read 2026-11-05)
  6. Residential Organics, City of Kamloops (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.