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

# Keremeos backyard fire and burning rules

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

**Short answer:** In Keremeos, small recreational campfires are allowed under the Fire Regulation Bylaw if they are no larger than 0.5 m across and 0.5 m high and kept 5 m from property lines and buildings. Open burning of yard waste is restricted, and burn barrels are banned.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Keremeos, https://www.keremeos.ca/home)  
**Cost:** Ticket: $200. No burning permit or fee is mentioned in the readable bylaw.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Village Office, 250-499-2711
- In person: Village Office, 702 4th Street, Keremeos, BC V0X 1N0

## Key facts

- **Backyard campfires:** Allowed if: no larger than 0.5 m across and 0.5 m high; at least 5 m from property lines and buildings; 3 m from combustibles; not between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m.; only seasoned firewood or similar permitted material; used for recreation, food or warmth; on property you own or have the owner's written permission to use. Gas, propane or briquette stoves are not campfires.
  - Source: [Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 855, 2022, s. 6.2](https://keremeos.civicweb.net/document/4543/)
  - Official wording: "Campfire size shall not exceed 0.5 meters in diameter and 0.5 meters in" … "Campfires must be located a minimum of 5 meters from adjoining property" … "Campfires must be constructed 3 meters away from any combustibles." … "Campfires will not be permitted between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m." … "Campfires will not be permitted on property owned or rented without"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Burning yard waste:** Open fires only with permitted burning materials from the same land. Prohibited materials list garden waste, leaves and green branches, but the bylaw also defines garden refuse (dried plant matter) and the permitted list is unreadable. Keep 30 m from buildings and roads. No open burning April 15 to October 15 unless the Fire Chief deems conditions safe. Burn barrels banned.
  - Source: [Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 855, 2022, s. 3, 6.1, 6.4](https://keremeos.civicweb.net/document/4543/)
  - Official wording: "garden waste, leaves, green branches, manure" … "Only permitted burning materials will be burned;" … "30 metres will be maintained between the location of the fire and any" … "No open burning between April 15" … "No person shall operate, install or construct any incinerator, or barrel" … "Garden refuse means dried plant matter, such as leaves, stems, twigs and branches, that"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit:** Not confirmed. The readable bylaw mentions no burning permit or fee.
- **Fire bans:** All fires are subject to local and provincial fire hazard restrictions and may be cancelled at any time by the authority having jurisdiction. The Village home page links to the BC Wildfire danger class and the BC Wildfire Service status page.
  - Source: [Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 855, 2022, s. 6.4](https://keremeos.civicweb.net/document/4543/)
  - Official wording: "are subject to cancellation at any time by an authority having jurisdiction."
  - Source: [Home, Home page, Quick Links](https://www.keremeos.ca/home)
  - Official wording: "Fire Danger Rating (Ashnola/Penticton)" … "BC Wildfire Service"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Instead of burning:** RDOS curbside yard waste pick-up every two weeks on the regular garbage day, plus unlimited yard waste collection at least four times a year.
  - Source: [Garbage and Recycling, Garbage & Recycling page](https://www.keremeos.ca/garbage-and-recycling)
  - Official wording: "Yard Waste is picked up every two weeks on your regular garbage day." … "Unlimited yard waste collection will occur a minimum of four times per year in your Area."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** $200 for burning prohibited materials, outside hours, unsupervised, creating a nuisance, within the required distances, outside the burning season or during a ban, or for a campfire contrary to the regulations.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 803, 2013 (consolidated April 2026), Schedule 6](https://keremeos.civicweb.net/document/14895/)
  - Official wording: "Burning materials not permitted" … "Burning outside burning season" … "Campfire contrary to regulations"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of Keremeos Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 855, 2022
  - Source: [Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 855, 2022, Title](https://keremeos.civicweb.net/document/4543/)
  - Official wording: "Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 855," … "2022"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 855](https://keremeos.civicweb.net/document/4543/) allows a campfire if it is:

- no larger than 0.5 m across and 0.5 m high
- at least 5 m from property lines and buildings, and 3 m from combustibles
- not burning between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m.
- fuelled only with seasoned firewood or similar permitted material
- used for recreation, food or warmth, on property you own or have the owner's written permission to use

Gas, propane or briquette stoves are not campfires.

Open fires may use only permitted burning materials from the same land and must stay 30 m from buildings and roads. Open burning is not allowed April 15 to October 15 unless the Fire Chief deems conditions safe. Burn barrels are banned. The bylaw's permitted-materials list could not be read in full, so ask before burning yard waste.

## Good to know

- All fires are subject to local and provincial fire hazard restrictions and may be cancelled at any time. Check the BC Wildfire danger class and status links on the Village home page before lighting a fire.
- The readable bylaw mentions no burning permit or fee, and the burning hours are not readable.
- Instead of burning, the RDOS curbside yard waste pick-up runs every two weeks on the regular garbage day, plus unlimited yard waste collection at least four times a year.
- Ticket: $200 for burning prohibited materials, outside hours, unsupervised, creating a nuisance, within the required distances, outside the burning season or during a ban, or for a campfire contrary to the regulations.

## Official forms and pages

- [Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 855, 2022 (PDF)](https://keremeos.civicweb.net/document/4543/)

## Related questions

- [Keremeos fireworks rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/fireworks.md)
- [Keremeos yard waste collection and drop-off](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/yard-waste.md)
- [Keremeos noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/noise-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-fire.md)
- [Oliver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oliver/backyard-fire.md)
- [Osoyoos](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/backyard-fire.md)
- [Penticton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/backyard-fire.md)
- [Summerland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/backyard-fire.md)
- [Princeton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/backyard-fire.md)
- [Peachland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/backyard-fire.md)

## Sources

- [Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 855, 2022 (PDF), Village of Keremeos](https://keremeos.civicweb.net/document/4543/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 803, 2013 (consolidated April 2026) (PDF), Village of Keremeos](https://keremeos.civicweb.net/document/14895/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Garbage and Recycling, Village of Keremeos](https://www.keremeos.ca/garbage-and-recycling) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Home, Village of Keremeos](https://www.keremeos.ca/home) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Keremeos. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/backyard-fire/_