--- title: Lake Cowichan backyard fire and burning rules question: "Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in Lake Cowichan?" place: Lake Cowichan, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/lake-cowichan category: Bylaws, noise and complaints owner: municipal owner_body: Town of Lake Cowichan sources_read: 2026-11-08 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/backyard-fire/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/backyard-fire.json" --- # Lake Cowichan backyard fire and burning rules **Question:** Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in Lake Cowichan? **Short answer:** In Lake Cowichan, backyard burning of garden waste is banned. Small cooking fires in a fire pit or barbecue of 4 sq ft or less, or a gas or electric barbecue, need no permit. Other outdoor fires need a $100 permit. A fire without a permit is a $500 ticket. **Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Lake Cowichan, https://www.lakecowichan.ca) **Cost:** Permit fee $100. Fire without a permit: $500 ticket. **How long:** Not stated. **Where:** - In person: Town Hall, 39 South Shore Road, Lake Cowichan, BC V0R 2G0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) - Phone: Town Hall (bylaw and animal control; leave a message), 250-749-6681 ## Key facts - **Backyard campfires:** No permit is needed for cooking fires in a barbecue pit, fire pit or other device of 4 sq ft or less, or in a gas or electric barbecue. Other outdoor fires need a $100 permit; garden-waste and construction-waste fires are banned. Fires must be supervised. - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 878-2009, s. 6(a)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/878-2009%20Outdoor%20Burning%20Regulation.pdf) - Official wording: "cooking fires contained within a barbeque pit, fire pit or other device having a" … "surface area not greater than four (4) square feet;" … "permit and complete and sign an application in the form outlined in Schedule" … "together with a permit fee of $100." … "No person shall start or maintain a Class "2" or "3" Fire or a garden refuse fire." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Burning yard waste:** Not allowed. No one may start or maintain a Class 2 or 3 fire (garden waste, demolition or construction waste) or a garden refuse fire. The CVRD page says backyard burning is completely banned in the Town of Lake Cowichan. Land-clearing debris (parcels 2.02 ha or more) may be burned only in a registered air curtain burner. - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 878-2009, s. 9, s. 4](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/878-2009%20Outdoor%20Burning%20Regulation.pdf) - Official wording: "No person shall start or maintain a Class "2" or "3" Fire or a garden refuse fire." … "Air Curtain Burner shall be used for all Open Burning of Land Clearing Debris;" - Source: [Open Burning, Cowichan Valley Regional District, CVRD Open Burning page](https://cvrd.ca/services/environment/backyard-burning/) - Official wording: "Backyard burning is completely banned in the following local municipalities:" … "The Town of Lake Cowichan" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Permit:** A $100 permit fee and application are required for an outdoor fire that is not exempt. An Officer (Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief or a Captain) may inspect the site, refuse, suspend or cancel permits. Class 1 (special occasion and ceremonial) fires are only for civic events approved by an Officer. - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 878-2009, s. 10, 11, 8](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/878-2009%20Outdoor%20Burning%20Regulation.pdf) - Official wording: "shall obtain a" … "permit and complete and sign an application in the form outlined in Schedule" … "together with a permit fee of $100." … "No person shall start or maintain a Class "1" Fire unless it is for a civic event" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Fire bans:** The bylaw requires compliance with local fire restrictions imposed by the Fire Chief or Local Fire Commissioner. The Town's Fire Department page points to the BC Fire Danger Map and CVRD burning restrictions. - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 878-2009, s. 7(b)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/878-2009%20Outdoor%20Burning%20Regulation.pdf) - Official wording: "Local fire restrictions imposed by the Fire Chief or Local Fire Commissioner Officer" - Source: [Fire Department | The Town of Lake Cowichan, Fire Department page](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/fire-protection.php) - Official wording: "Know the current fire danger rating in your area: BC Fire Danger Map" … "CVRD Burning Restrictions" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Instead of burning:** CVRD provides free yard and garden waste drop-off at local Recycling Centres (Meade Creek, 8855 Youbou Rd, Lake Cowichan; Bings Creek, Duncan). - Source: [Open Burning, Cowichan Valley Regional District, CVRD Open Burning page](https://cvrd.ca/services/environment/backyard-burning/) - Official wording: "The CVRD provides free yard and garden waste drop-off at local Recycling Centres." - Source: [2026 Recycling, Waste and Organics Calendar, 2026 collection calendar](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/2026%20Refuse%20Calendar.pdf) - Official wording: "Meade Creek - Lake Cowichan: 8855 Youbou Rd." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Fine:** $100 for starting or keeping a fire without supervision; $100 for burning where burning is prohibited (ss. 8 and 9); $500 for a fire without a permit; $200 for interfering with access or inspection. On summary conviction up to $2,000. - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 878-2009, Schedule B, s. 18](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/878-2009%20Outdoor%20Burning%20Regulation.pdf) - Official wording: "Fire without a permit" … "$500" … "Start or Maintain Without Supervision" … "Burn Prohibited" … "a fine not exceeding Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00)" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Bylaw:** Town of Lake Cowichan Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 878-2009. - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 878-2009, s. 1](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/878-2009%20Outdoor%20Burning%20Regulation.pdf) - Official wording: "Town of Lake Cowichan Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 878-2009" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 ## How it works The [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 878-2009]() sets the rules. No one may start or maintain a garden refuse fire or a Class 2 or 3 fire (garden waste, demolition or construction waste). The Cowichan Valley Regional District's page also says backyard burning is completely banned in the Town of Lake Cowichan. ## Steps 1. For a cooking fire, use a barbecue pit, fire pit or other device of 4 sq ft or less, or a gas or electric barbecue. No permit is needed. 2. For any other outdoor fire, apply for a permit with the $100 fee. An officer (Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief or a Captain) may inspect the site and refuse, suspend or cancel permits. 3. Check current fire restrictions before lighting anything. ## Good to know - Fires must be supervised. - The bylaw requires you to follow local fire restrictions set by the Fire Chief or Local Fire Commissioner. The Town's Fire Department page points to the BC Fire Danger Map and the CVRD's burning restrictions. - Land-clearing debris (parcels 2.02 ha or more) may be burned only in a registered air curtain burner. - Free yard and garden waste drop-off is at CVRD recycling centres: Meade Creek, 8855 Youbou Rd, Lake Cowichan, and Bings Creek, Duncan. - Tickets: $100 for a fire without supervision; $100 for burning where it is prohibited; $500 for a fire without a permit; $200 for interfering with access or inspection. On conviction, up to $2,000. ## Official forms and pages - [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 878-2009 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/878-2009%20Outdoor%20Burning%20Regulation.pdf) - [Open Burning, Cowichan Valley Regional District](https://cvrd.ca/services/environment/backyard-burning/) ## Related questions - [Lake Cowichan fireworks rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/fireworks.md) - [Lake Cowichan yard waste collection and drop-off](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/yard-waste.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-fire.md) - [Ladysmith](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/backyard-fire.md) - [Duncan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/backyard-fire.md) - [North Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-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 - [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 878-2009 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/878-2009%20Outdoor%20Burning%20Regulation.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Open Burning, Cowichan Valley Regional District](https://cvrd.ca/services/environment/backyard-burning/) (read 2026-11-08) - [2026 Recycling, Waste and Organics Calendar (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/2026%20Refuse%20Calendar.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Fire Department | The Town of Lake Cowichan](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/fire-protection.php) (read 2026-11-08) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 7 facts was matched to the official text. 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