---
title: Ladysmith backyard fire and burning rules
question: "Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in Ladysmith?"
place: Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/ladysmith
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: Town of Ladysmith
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/backyard-fire/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/backyard-fire.json"
---

# Ladysmith backyard fire and burning rules

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

**Short answer:** In Ladysmith, a contained campfire needs no permit if it is no bigger than 0.5 m high and wide, at least 5 m from buildings, shrubs, grassy areas and property lines, and supervised with water on hand. Backyard burning of yard waste is banned, as are burn barrels. Fires are not allowed during a Town or provincial ban.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Ladysmith, https://www.ladysmith.ca)  
**Cost:** No fee stated. The fine is not stated in the current fire bylaw.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Email: Ladysmith Fire/Rescue, dispatch@ladysmith.ca
- Online: Fire Restrictions page, https://www.ladysmith.ca/public-safety/ladysmith-fire-rescue/fire-restrictions
- Phone: Town Hall, 250-245-6400 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Backyard campfires:** Allowed without a permit if the fire is contained (fire ring, pit or fireplace), no bigger than 0.5 m high and wide, at least 5 m from buildings, sheds, shrubs, grassy areas or property lines, supervised, and 8 litres of water or a tool is on hand. Not allowed during a Town or provincial ban.
  - Source: [Fire Restrictions, Ladysmith Fire Rescue, Campfires & Outdoor Fireplaces](https://www.ladysmith.ca/public-safety/ladysmith-fire-rescue/fire-restrictions)
  - Official wording: "Must be at least 5 metres away from buildings, sheds, shrubs, grassy areas, or property lines." … "Must be no larger than 0.5 metres in height and width." … "You MUST have at least 8 litres of water or a tool on hand at all times while the fire is lit." … "Must not violate any provincial or Town orders restricting campfires or outdoor burning."
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw 2013, No. 1815, s. 15(d)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1815-fire-prevention-bylaw-2013.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Campfires and outdoor fireplaces situated not less than 5 meters from any"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Burning yard waste:** No. Backyard burning is banned: garden-waste (Class 2), demolition-waste (Class 3) and any yard-waste fires are not permitted, and burn barrels and burn cages are prohibited.
  - Source: [Fire Restrictions, Ladysmith Fire Rescue, Year-round restrictions](https://www.ladysmith.ca/public-safety/ladysmith-fire-rescue/fire-restrictions)
  - Official wording: "Conduct backyard burning." … "Use burn barrels, burn cages or sky lanterns."
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw 2013, No. 1815, s. 17](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1815-fire-prevention-bylaw-2013.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall start or maintain a Class 2 or 3 Fire or a garden refuse fire."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permit:** No permit for a campfire that meets the rules. Class 1 special-occasion fires are allowed only if approved by a Town officer (civic events). For other fires, e-mail Ladysmith Fire/Rescue at dispatch@ladysmith.ca. No fee stated.
  - Source: [Fire Restrictions, Ladysmith Fire Rescue, Fire classifications / Need a fire permit?](https://www.ladysmith.ca/public-safety/ladysmith-fire-rescue/fire-restrictions)
  - Official wording: "Allowed, only if approved by a Town officer" … "Some fires may be permitted for special events."
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw 2013, No. 1815, s. 16](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1815-fire-prevention-bylaw-2013.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall start or maintain a Class 1 Fire unless it is for a civic event, function or"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fire bans:** Town restrictions are posted on the Town's Fire Restrictions page; the Province, through the Coastal Fire Centre, also imposes seasonal restrictions. Check the Coastal Fire Centre or the BC Fire Bans and Restrictions page.
  - Source: [Fire Restrictions, Ladysmith Fire Rescue, Fire Restrictions page](https://www.ladysmith.ca/public-safety/ladysmith-fire-rescue/fire-restrictions)
  - Official wording: "the Province, via the Coastal Fire Centre, also imposes restrictions on a seasonal basis" … "For information on regional and provincial fire bans, please visit the Coastal Fire Centre"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Instead of burning:** Yard and garden waste is not accepted at the curb. Take it to the CVRD Peerless Road Recycling Centre, 10830 Westdowne Road: grass, leaves and branches under 3 inches across, free for residential loads.
  - Source: [Organics, Unaccepted items](https://www.ladysmith.ca/our-services/garbage-recycling/organics)
  - Official wording: "Yard and garden waste"
  - Source: [Accepted Materials and Fees, Cowichan Valley Regional District, Yard Waste](https://cvrd.ca/services/garbage-recycling/waste-and-recycling-facilities/accepted-materials-and-fees/)
  - Official wording: "Yard Waste | Free (residential loads)"
  - Source: [Garbage, Peerless Road](https://www.ladysmith.ca/our-services/garbage-recycling/garbage)
  - Official wording: "Address: 10830 Westdowne Road"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** None set. The Fire Prevention Bylaw makes breaking the rules an offence but states no fine amount.
- **Bylaw:** Fire Prevention Bylaw 2013, No. 1815
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw 2013, No. 1815, s. 2](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1815-fire-prevention-bylaw-2013.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Fire Prevention Bylaw 2013, No. 1815"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Fire Prevention Bylaw 2013, No. 1815](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1815-fire-prevention-bylaw-2013.pdf) and the Town's [Fire Restrictions page](https://www.ladysmith.ca/public-safety/ladysmith-fire-rescue/fire-restrictions) set the rules for Ladysmith. A campfire needs no permit if it meets all of these:

- It is contained in a fire ring, pit or fireplace.
- It is no bigger than 0.5 m high and wide.
- It is at least 5 m from buildings, sheds, shrubs, grassy areas and property lines.
- It is supervised, with 8 litres of water or a tool on hand.

Campfires are not allowed during a Town or provincial ban.

## What is banned

Backyard burning is banned year round. Garden-waste fires, demolition-waste fires and any yard-waste fires are not permitted, and burn barrels and burn cages are prohibited.

## Steps

1. Check the Town's Fire Restrictions page and the Province's BC Fire Bans and Restrictions page (the Coastal Fire Centre sets seasonal provincial restrictions) before you light a fire.
2. For a fire not otherwise allowed, e-mail Ladysmith Fire/Rescue at dispatch@ladysmith.ca. Class 1 special-occasion fires are allowed only if approved by a Town officer.
3. For yard waste, use the drop-off instead; see the yard waste answer.

## Good to know

- Yard and garden waste is not accepted at the curb. The CVRD Peerless Road Recycling Centre takes grass, leaves and branches under 3 inches across, free for residential loads.
- The bylaw makes breaking the rules an offence but states no fine amount. An older ticket schedule names a burning bylaw that has since been repealed.

## Official forms and pages

- [Fire Prevention Bylaw 2013, No. 1815 (PDF)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1815-fire-prevention-bylaw-2013.pdf)
- [Fire Restrictions, Ladysmith Fire Rescue](https://www.ladysmith.ca/public-safety/ladysmith-fire-rescue/fire-restrictions)

## Related questions

- [Ladysmith fireworks rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/fireworks.md)
- [Ladysmith yard waste collection and drop-off](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/yard-waste.md)
- [Ladysmith bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Ladysmith garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/garbage-collection.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-fire.md)
- [North Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-cowichan/backyard-fire.md)
- [Duncan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/backyard-fire.md)
- [Lake Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/backyard-fire.md)
- [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/backyard-fire.md)
- [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/backyard-fire.md)
- [North Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/backyard-fire.md)

## Sources

- [Fire Prevention Bylaw 2013, No. 1815 (PDF)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1815-fire-prevention-bylaw-2013.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Fire Restrictions, Ladysmith Fire Rescue](https://www.ladysmith.ca/public-safety/ladysmith-fire-rescue/fire-restrictions) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Organics, Town of Ladysmith](https://www.ladysmith.ca/our-services/garbage-recycling/organics) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Garbage, Town of Ladysmith](https://www.ladysmith.ca/our-services/garbage-recycling/garbage) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Accepted Materials and Fees, Cowichan Valley Regional District](https://cvrd.ca/services/garbage-recycling/waste-and-recycling-facilities/accepted-materials-and-fees/) (read 2026-11-06)

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