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

# Montrose backyard fire and burning rules

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

**Short answer:** In Montrose, open burning and burning yard waste are not allowed. A backyard campfire is allowed only with a $15 Residential Campfire Permit from the Village office, valid January 1 to December 31, and only when no fire ban is in force.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Montrose, https://www.montrose.ca)  
**Cost:** Residential Campfire Permit: $15. Fines on conviction: $500 for open burning without a permit; $250 for not following the permit terms.  
**How long:** The permit is valid January 1 to December 31.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 565 11th Ave., Montrose, BC V0G 1P0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed statutory holidays))
- Phone: Village Office, 250-367-7234

## Key facts

- **Backyard campfires:** Allowed with a yearly Residential Campfire Permit: in the backyard, in a fire pit no wider than 0.5 m, at least 4 m from trees, shrubs, structures and debris, always attended, with water or a shovel at hand, burning clean firewood only, and not on windy days.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 786, 2024, s. 4(3)](https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/786-Fire-Prevention-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "May only be started and maintained in a fire pit which must have a diameter that is no larger than 0.5 m;" … "Must be located at least four meters from trees, shrubs, structures and debris;" … "Must be located in the backyard of the property;" … "Only clean firewood can be used in the campfire."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Burning yard waste:** Not allowed. Open burning is prohibited, and yard waste burning is expressly prohibited.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 786, 2024, s. 3(1)](https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/786-Fire-Prevention-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall engage in Open Burning. For certainty, yard waste burning is prohibited."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit:** Yes, for a campfire. A Residential Campfire Permit costs $15 and is valid January 1 to December 31. Buy it at the Village municipal office; the application needs a photo of the fire pit, and the permit must be displayed at the campfire site.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 786, 2024, s. 4(1)-(2)](https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/786-Fire-Prevention-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "at a cost of fifteen dollars" … "($15.00) from the Village Municipal office prior to having a campfire and" … "must include a photograph" … "of the fire pit"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fire bans:** Before lighting a campfire, check the current fire ban and restriction guidelines of BC Wildfire Service, Southeast Fire Centre (Kootenay Boundary Region). If a ban is issued, the campfire permit is voided until the ban is lifted. The Fire Chief can also declare a general ban.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 786, 2024, s. 4(4); Schedule C; s. 2](https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/786-Fire-Prevention-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "All persons must refer to the British Columbia Wildfire Services," … "FIRE BAN IS ISSUED BY THE BC WILDFIRE SERVICE, SOUTHEAST FIRE CENTRE YOUR CAMPFIRE PERMIT IS VOIDED" … "“Ban” means a general prohibition declared by the Fire Chief"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Instead of burning:** The Village page lists seasonal spring and fall yard waste removal and a Green Bin collection (an RDKB service, contracted to GFL).
  - Source: [Curbside Pickups, What's Included](https://www.montrose.ca/curbside-pickups/)
  - Official wording: "Spring & Fall yard waste removal (seasonal)" … "Green Bin collection (RDKB service) – Contracted to GFL"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** No ticket system found. Fines on conviction under the Offence Act: open burning without a Residential Campfire Permit $500; failing to follow the permit terms and conditions $250.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 786, 2024, Schedule A](https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/786-Fire-Prevention-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Open Burning Without a Residential Campfire Permit 4(1) $500.00" … "Failure to follow terms and conditions of Residential Campfire Permit 4(5) $250.00" … "Open Burning Without a Residential Campfire Permit" … "prosecution under the Offence Act and be liable, upon conviction, to a"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Fire Prevention Bylaw #786, 2024
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 786, 2024, s. 1](https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/786-Fire-Prevention-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Fire Prevention Bylaw # 786, 2024"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under the Village's [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 786](<https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/786-Fire-Prevention-Bylaw.pdf>), open burning is prohibited and burning yard waste is expressly prohibited. Open burning means burning without a device that allows controlled combustion or without a stack or chimney. A backyard campfire is allowed with a yearly Residential Campfire Permit.

## Steps

1. Buy the permit at the Village municipal office. The application needs a photo of your fire pit.
2. Display the permit at the campfire site.
3. Use a fire pit no wider than 0.5 m, at least 4 m from trees, shrubs, structures and debris.
4. Stay with the fire, keep water or a shovel at hand, burn clean firewood only, and do not burn on windy days.

## Good to know

- Before lighting, check the current fire ban and restriction guidelines of BC Wildfire Service, Southeast Fire Centre. If a ban is issued, the permit is void until it is lifted. The Fire Chief can also declare a general ban.
- Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue or the Village can cancel a permit, and a cancelled permit cannot be renewed.
- Barbecues are allowed in open yard space unless the Fire Chief has declared a ban, and always on a deck, verandah or patio.
- Fines on conviction: $500 for open burning without a permit, $250 for not following the permit terms.
- For yard waste, the Village lists seasonal spring and fall yard waste removal and a Green Bin collection run by the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary.

## Official forms and pages

- [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 786, 2024 (PDF), Village of Montrose](https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/786-Fire-Prevention-Bylaw.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Montrose fireworks rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/fireworks.md)
- [Montrose bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-fire.md)
- [Fruitvale](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/backyard-fire.md)
- [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/backyard-fire.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/backyard-fire.md)
- [Rossland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/backyard-fire.md)
- [Castlegar](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/backyard-fire.md)
- [Salmo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/backyard-fire.md)

## Sources

- [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 786, 2024 (PDF), Village of Montrose](https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/786-Fire-Prevention-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Curbside Pickups, Village of Montrose](https://www.montrose.ca/curbside-pickups/) (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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Montrose. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/backyard-fire/_