Lillooet backyard fire and burning rules

Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in Lillooet?

Lillooet, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

Short answer

In Lillooet, a small campfire (0.5 m high by 0.5 m across) needs no permit, subject to drought hazard conditions. Burning yard waste needs a burning permit from the Fire Chief, and only in set periods. Every permit is suspended during a burning ban.

Key facts

Backyard campfires	No permit needed for a campfire no more than 0.5 m high by 0.5 m across for cooking, warmth or ceremony, subject to drought hazard conditions. Portable CSA- or ULC-approved campfire apparatus with a flame no higher than 15 cm, and charcoal or CSA-approved gas cooking fires, are also exempt.Fire Department Establishment and Fire Prevention Bylaw 2018, No. 461, s. 30(1) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording campfires of no more than 0.5m high by 0.5m in diameter for cooking food, warmth or ceremonial purposes approved portable campfire apparatus with a flame height not exceed 15 centimetres open cooking fires in non-combustible containers using only briquettes, charcoal or CSA-approved propane or natural gas appliances
Burning yard waste	Yard waste may be burned only with a burning permit, on private property, in permit periods January 1 to May 15 and October 15 to December 31 (the Fire Chief may extend or restrict them). Category 2A: one pile up to 1 m by 1 m, 5 m from structures, brush, watercourses and property lines. Category 2B: one pile up to 2 m high by 3 m wide, 15 m from structures, 10 m from property lines.Fire Department Establishment and Fire Prevention Bylaw 2018, No. 461, ss. 29(2), 31(1), 31(6)-(7); Fire Department Establishment and Fire Prevention Bylaw 2018, No. 461, Schedule C; Garbage Collection and Regulation Bylaw No. 2024-002 (consolidated to January 21, 2025), s. 3(j) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Open burning under permit will be issued between January 1 to May 15 and October 15 to December 31 in a calendar year. Open burning is only permitted on private property. a burning pile shall be not less than 5 metres from any combustible structure or material a burning pile shall be not less than 15 metres from any combustible structure or material Category 2A: burning of yard waste materials on property One (1) burning pile no larger than one (1) metre in height and one (1) metre in width One burning pile no larger than two (2) metres in height and three (3) metres in width Garden Refuse is burnable with a valid seasonal burning permit obtained from the District
Permit	Yes. A burning permit issued by the Fire Chief, applied for on the Schedule C form. The Garbage Bylaw calls it a seasonal burning permit obtained from the District.Fire Department Establishment and Fire Prevention Bylaw 2018, No. 461, ss. 29(1), 31(2), Schedule C; Garbage Collection and Regulation Bylaw No. 2024-002 (consolidated to January 21, 2025), s. 3(j) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording No open burning of any kind is permitted during any period without a permit issued by the Fire Chief. Every application for a burning permit shall be made in the form as prescribed by Schedule valid seasonal burning permit obtained from the District
Fire bans	Every burning permit is suspended while an open burning ban from the District or a fire protection agency is in effect. The District says to consult the local fire hazard and the provincial website for current fire bans.Fire Department Establishment and Fire Prevention Bylaw 2018, No. 461, s. 31(4); Building Permits — Lillooet, Local Construction Information, Open Burning · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording is suspended when an open burning ban, issued by the District or a fire protection agency having jurisdiction, is in effect Please consult the local fire hazard and the provincial website for current fire bans.
Instead of burning	Garden waste (grass, weeds, flower clippings) goes to the Lillooet Landfill & Recycling Centre at no charge. Chipped wood waste is no charge; unchipped wood waste such as branches and stumps is $4 minimum or $40 per tonne. The garbage receptacle may not be used for garden refuse.Lillooet Landfill tipping fees 2026, Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, Organic Waste; Garbage Collection and Regulation Bylaw No. 2024-002 (consolidated to January 21, 2025), s. 3(h), Definitions · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Garden Waste No charge E.g. grass, weeds, flower clippings Chipped Wood Waste No charge Unchipped Wood Waste Minimum charge $4.00 No person shall place any Rubbish in a Garbage Receptacle. includes Ashes, garden refuse, Trade Waste, wood waste
Fine	Bylaw notice: burning without a permit $250 ($125 if paid within 14 days; $500 late). Not following burning conditions $250. Failing to comply with a burning ban $500 in the Bylaw Notice schedule but $1,000 in the Fire Bylaw schedule. Burning garbage or rubbish $300 ($150 early; $400 late).Sources differ: The Fire Bylaw's own Schedule D lists the burning-ban fine as $1,000 and the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw lists $500; the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw says it prevails. Other burning amounts match.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2021-002, consolidated to March 24, 2026, Schedule 7, ss. 29(1), 31(4), 31(5); Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2021-002, consolidated to March 24, 2026, Schedule 8, s. 3(j); Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2021-002, consolidated to March 24, 2026, s. 11.0.3; Fire Department Establishment and Fire Prevention Bylaw 2018, No. 461, Schedule D · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Starting or 29(1) $250 $125 $500 Failure to comply 31(4) $500 $500 $500 Failure to follow 31(5) $250 $125 $500 Burning of Garbage or 3.j. $300 $150 $400 Wherever this Bylaw sets out fines with respect to other District bylaws and such other bylaws contain similar fines, the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw shall prevail. Failure to comply to an open fire burning ban 38(9) $1000.00 $250
Bylaw	Fire Department Establishment and Fire Prevention Bylaw 2018, No. 461 (Part 4, Open Fires). Burning of garden refuse is also covered by Garbage Collection and Regulation Bylaw No. 2024-002, s. 3(j).Fire Department Establishment and Fire Prevention Bylaw 2018, No. 461, Part 4; Garbage Collection and Regulation Bylaw No. 2024-002 (consolidated to January 21, 2025), s. 3(j) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Lillooet Fire Department Establishment and Fire Prevention Bylaw 2018, No. 461 Garbage Collection and Regulation Bylaw No. 2024-002

How it works

Open fires are covered by Part 4 of the Fire Department Establishment and Fire Prevention Bylaw 2018, No. 461. No permit is needed for a campfire no more than 0.5 m high by 0.5 m across for cooking, warmth or ceremony, subject to drought hazard conditions. Portable CSA- or ULC-approved campfire apparatus with a flame no higher than 15 cm, and charcoal or CSA-approved gas cooking fires, are also exempt. Burning yard waste needs a burning permit issued by the Fire Chief, applied for on the bylaw's Schedule C form.

Steps

Check the current fire ban before you burn. The District says to consult the local fire hazard and the provincial website for current bans.
Apply for a burning permit on the Schedule C form. The pages we read do not say where to apply, so ask the District Office, 250-256-4289.
Burn only in a permit period (January 1 to May 15 or October 15 to December 31; the Fire Chief may extend or restrict them), on private property.

Good to know

Category 2A: one pile up to 1 m by 1 m, 5 m from structures, brush, watercourses and property lines. Category 2B: one pile up to 2 m high by 3 m wide, 15 m from structures and 10 m from property lines.
Permit conditions include: permit holder 18 or older and present; burning not before 7:00 a.m. and fully out by 10:00 p.m.; no burning when the Ventilation Index is under 55; no prohibited materials; neighbours notified; 500 m from schools in session and hospitals.
Every burning permit is suspended while an open burning ban from the District or a fire protection agency is in effect.
Garden waste (grass, weeds, flower clippings) goes to the Lillooet Landfill & Recycling Centre at no charge. Unchipped wood waste is $4 minimum or $40 per tonne. See the yard waste answer.
Bylaw notice: burning without a permit $250 ($125 if paid within 14 days; $500 if paid late); not following burning conditions $250; burning garbage or rubbish $300 ($150 early; $400 late).
Failing to comply with a burning ban is $500 in the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, but the Fire Bylaw's own schedule says $1,000. The Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw says it prevails, but check the amount on your notice.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Ashcroft · Cache Creek · Logan Lake · Lytton · Pemberton · Whistler

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

Sources

Fire Department Establishment and Fire Prevention Bylaw 2018, No. 461 (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2021-002, consolidated to March 24, 2026 (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Garbage Collection and Regulation Bylaw No. 2024-002 (consolidated to January 21, 2025) (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Lillooet Landfill tipping fees 2026, Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Lillooet and Area Facilities, Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (read 2026-11-08)
Contact Us, District of Lillooet (read 2026-11-08)
Building Permits — Lillooet (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. How answers are checked.