---
title: Langford backyard fire and burning rules
question: "Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in Langford?"
place: Langford, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/langford
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Langford
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/backyard-fire/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/backyard-fire.json"
---

# Langford backyard fire and burning rules

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

**Short answer:** In the City of Langford, a campfire needs a free online permit (one per property per day, valid three hours) and is not allowed at extreme wildfire risk. Burning yard waste needs an open-burn permit, a lot of at least half an acre, and a burn day set by the Fire Chief. Burn periods are in dispute; check with Langford Fire Rescue.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Langford, https://www.langford.ca)  
**Cost:** Campfire permit is free. No fee is stated for the open-burn permit.  
**How long:** A campfire permit is valid for three hours; one per property per day.  
**Where:**
- Online: Campfire permit, https://campfire.langford.ca/
- Online: Open burn permit, https://openburn.langford.ca/
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement (burning complaints, office hours), 250-474-0604
- Phone: West Shore RCMP non-emergency (after hours), 250-474-2264
- Phone: Fire Department reception, 250-478-9555

## Key facts

- **Backyard campfires:** Yes, with a free online permit (one per property per day, valid three hours). Fire no bigger than 0.6 m by 0.6 m, firewood only, supervised by someone 16 or older, hose on hand, 6 m from buildings, 3 m from shrubs and fences, out by midnight. No permits at extreme wildfire risk.
  - Source: [Langford Fire Rescue, Burning Regulations & Permits; Campfires](https://langford.ca/residents/public-health-and-safety/fire-rescue/)
  - Official wording: "In the City of Langford you must get a permit in order to have a campfire." … "There is no charge to obtaining a permit online." … "One (1) campfire permit may be obtained per residential property per day and is valid for three hours (3) from the time of issuance." … "Shall be no larger than 0.6m by 0.6m (2 ft by 2 ft)" … "Clearances for campfires shall be 6m (20 ft) from any building, 3 m (10 ft) from any shrubbery, wooden fences, over hanging trees, or combustible materials" … "Campfire permits will not be issued when the wildfire risk reaches extreme."
  - Source: [Burning and Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 1532, 2014, s. 33, 45](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bylaw-1532-Root-Bylaw-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "ensure the base of the campfire is no larger in area than .6 metres by .6 metres" … "the campfire is extinguished and soaked to stop re-ignition by midnight"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Burning yard waste:** Only with an open-burn permit, on residential lots of 0.5 acre (2,023 m²) or more, yard waste from that lot only, sunrise to sunset, on days the Fire Chief sets each year. Burn periods: City page says Nov 1 to 30 and Mar 15 to Apr 15, no long weekends; bylaw copy says Feb 15 to Mar 15 and Oct 15 to Nov 10. (Sources differ: CONFLICT: the City page says the Fire Regulations Bylaw was amended and gives new burn periods, 2 permits per property per period, 20 permits a day citywide; the only bylaw text on langford.ca (Bylaw 1532, 'Root Bylaw 2014') still shows the older dates and no amending bylaw was found. Value shows both. Verify before publishing. Burning garbage, noxious materials, land-clearing debris and construction waste is banned (ss. 11, 12).)
  - Source: [Burning and Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 1532, 2014, ss. 32, 43](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bylaw-1532-Root-Bylaw-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "residentially-zoned property which are 2,023 square meters (.5 acre) or greater in area between the" … "dates of February 1 5 to March 1 5 and between October 1 5 to November 1 0 of any calendar year (inclusive)" … "use the fire to dispose of yard waste generated solely from the property upon which the fire is taking place;" … "ensure the base of the open fire is no larger in area than 1.5 metres by 1.5 metres" … "and on days and at times in that period specified annually by the Fire Chief."
  - Source: [Langford Fire Rescue, Burning Regulations & Permits](https://langford.ca/residents/public-health-and-safety/fire-rescue/)
  - Official wording: "There are now two permitted burn periods. The first is between November 1 and November 30 and the second is between March 15 and April 15 of any calendar year (inclusive). There is no burning permitted on long weekends." … "Burning is only permitted from sunrise to sunset and only leaves and tree trimmings are acceptable."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permit:** Campfire: free online permit through the City, one per property per day. Open burn: written permit from the Fire Chief, applied for online; no fee is stated. The City page limits a property to 2 permits per burn period and 20 permits a day citywide.
  - Source: [Langford Fire Rescue, Campfires; Burning Regulations](https://langford.ca/residents/public-health-and-safety/fire-rescue/)
  - Official wording: "There is no charge to obtaining a permit online." … "An individually-owned residential property is allowed a maximum of 2 permits per burning period. A maximum of 20 permits will be issued per day throughout the city."
  - Source: [Burning and Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 1532, 2014, s. 30](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bylaw-1532-Root-Bylaw-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "no person may ignite, conduct or maintain any open fire, or allow or cause any open fire to be ignited, conducted, or maintained without first obtaining a valid and subsisting permit from the Fire Chief."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fire bans:** The Fire Chief or a peace officer can suspend permits and order partial or full fire bans. Check the Langford Fire Rescue page: on Sept 13, 2026 it said the campfire ban would not be lifted; a Coastal Fire Centre ban on all open fires began July 16, 2026. Provincial bans: BC Wildfire Management Branch.
  - Source: [Burning and Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 1532, 2014, s. 36, 38](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bylaw-1532-Root-Bylaw-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Order or notice by the Fire Chief or by a Peace Officer of permit suspension or cancellation, of permit exemption cancellation, and of partial or full fire bans may be effected by:"
  - Source: [Langford Fire Rescue, Burning Regulations & Permits](https://langford.ca/residents/public-health-and-safety/fire-rescue/)
  - Official wording: "Langford Fire Rescue will NOT be lifting the campfire ban." … "all open fires, including campfires, are banned across the Coastal Fire Centre." … "Information on province wide campfire bans can be found at the Wildfire Management Branch."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Instead of burning:** Chipping, composting or commercial disposal. Yard and garden material can also go to CRD Hartland Landfill: material under 3 inches in diameter is $59 a tonne ($10 minimum).
  - Source: [Langford Fire Rescue, Burning Alternatives](https://langford.ca/residents/public-health-and-safety/fire-rescue/)
  - Official wording: "- Chipping - Composting - Commercial disposal"
  - Source: [Rates & Accepted Items, Capital Regional District, Yard & Garden Waste](https://www.crd.ca/programs-services/garbage-recycling/hartland-landfill/rates-accepted-items)
  - Official wording: "Yard and garden material (less than 3"dia) - $59/tonne, $10 minimum"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw 1532 ticket schedule: burn without permit $150; unsupervised open fire $100; insufficient fire setback $75; not following campfire conditions $100; burning noxious materials $150; burning land-clearing or machine-piled debris $250.
  - Source: [Burning and Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 1532, 2014, Appendix B](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bylaw-1532-Root-Bylaw-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "11. Burn without permit 30 $150" … "12. Unsupervised open air fire 43.3 $100" … "13. Insufficient fire setback 43.6 $75" … "14. Non-adherence to campfire conditions 45 $100" … "5. Burn Noxious Materials 11 $150" … "6. Burn Land Clearing/Machine Piled Debris 12 $250"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Burning and Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 1532, 2014
  - Source: [Burning and Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 1532, 2014, Citation](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bylaw-1532-Root-Bylaw-2014.pdf)
  - Official wording: "City of Langford Burning and Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 1532, 2014"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The City's [Burning and Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 1532](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bylaw-1532-Root-Bylaw-2014.pdf) and the Fire Rescue page set the rules. Burning garbage, noxious materials, land-clearing debris and construction waste is banned.

## Steps

**Campfire**

1. Get the free online campfire permit from the City (one per property per day, valid three hours).
2. Keep the fire no bigger than 0.6 m by 0.6 m, burn firewood only, and have someone 16 or older supervise.
3. Keep a hose on hand, stay 6 m from buildings and 3 m from shrubs and fences, and have the fire out by midnight.

**Yard waste (open burn)**

1. Apply online for an open-burn permit from the Fire Chief.
2. You need a residential lot of 0.5 acre (2,023 m²) or more, and you may burn only yard waste from that lot, from sunrise to sunset, on days the Fire Chief sets each year.

## Good to know

- **Burn periods conflict.** The Fire Rescue page says the bylaw was amended and gives November 1 to 30 and March 15 to April 15, with no burning on long weekends. The only bylaw text published says February 15 to March 15 and October 15 to November 10. Check with Langford Fire Rescue before you plan a burn.
- The Fire Rescue page limits a property to 2 permits per burn period and 20 permits a day citywide.
- The bylaw describes a verbal permit from the Fire Department for campfires; the City page says permits are now issued online. The 6 m building clearance is on the page, not in the bylaw.
- The Fire Chief or a peace officer can suspend permits and order partial or full fire bans. Fire-ban notices are dated and change; check the Fire Rescue page for the current status. Provincial bans come from the BC Wildfire Management Branch.
- Alternatives: chipping, composting or commercial disposal. Hartland Landfill takes yard and garden material under 3 inches in diameter for $59 a tonne ($10 minimum).
- Ticket schedule in Bylaw 1532: burn without a permit $150; unsupervised open fire $100; insufficient fire setback $75; not following campfire conditions $100; burning noxious materials $150; burning land-clearing or machine-piled debris $250. The City's newer ticket bylaws (No. 34 and No. 1980) are not online and may differ. The court fine for any offence is up to $2,000.

## Official forms and pages

- [Langford Fire Rescue (burning regulations and permits)](https://langford.ca/residents/public-health-and-safety/fire-rescue/)
- [Burning and Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 1532 (PDF)](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bylaw-1532-Root-Bylaw-2014.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Langford fireworks rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/fireworks.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-fire.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/backyard-fire.md)
- [Colwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/backyard-fire.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/backyard-fire.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/backyard-fire.md)
- [Metchosin](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/backyard-fire.md)
- [Sooke](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/backyard-fire.md)

## Sources

- [Langford Fire Rescue, City of Langford](https://langford.ca/residents/public-health-and-safety/fire-rescue/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Burning and Fire Regulation Bylaw No. 1532, 2014 (PDF), City of Langford](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bylaw-1532-Root-Bylaw-2014.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Rates & Accepted Items, Capital Regional District](https://www.crd.ca/programs-services/garbage-recycling/hartland-landfill/rates-accepted-items) (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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Langford. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/backyard-fire/_