Nanaimo backyard fire and burning rules

Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste?

Nanaimo, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In the City of Nanaimo, backyard fires are allowed only for cooking (no permit needed). Burning yard waste needs a free permit and is limited to lots of 1 acre or more, or Protection Island, on Fridays and Saturdays in April and November. No fires are allowed during a provincial fire ban.

Key facts

Backyard campfires	Backyard cooking fires on private property need no permit if solely for cooking food, contained in a device or barrier no more than 24 inches across, burning only clean dry wood or pressed wood/briquettes, lasting no more than 2 hours, and no Provincial fire ban is in effect. Any fire not for cooking is prohibited. Beach fires and fires in City parks are prohibited.Sources differ: The Quick Guide lists "Camp Fires" and "Fire Pits - see requirements" as permitted on private property, while the Burning Regulations page says any fire not for cooking is prohibited. The bylaw only exempts cooking fires. Cooking-fire requirements followed.Outdoor Burning Regulations and Permits, web page; Fire Protection and Life Safety Regulation Bylaw 2011 No. 7108, s. 30(7); Outdoor Burning Regulation Quick Guide, Quick guide · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Within the City of Nanaimo residents are permitted to have backyard cooking fires on their private property, without a permit. The cooking fire device or barrier does NOT exceed 24 inches in diameter. The fire duration is not more than 2 hours. Any fire that is ignited without the purpose of cooking food is prohibited and may result with a fine. Beach fires within the City of Nanaimo are prohibited. Permit requirements shall not apply to outdoor cooking fires, provided the fire is contained to a device or fixture designed for containing the fire and not exceeding 24 inches in diameter. Camp Fires - see requirements
Burning yard waste	Only organic yard waste (garden refuse, pruning, wood branches), by permit, on lots of 1 acre or more or on Protection Island. Only Fridays and Saturdays, sunrise to sunset, in April and November. One burn pile, no more than 1.5 m across, at least 3 m from combustibles, hand-fed, with a competent person attending. Burn barrels and other burn piles (Quick Guide), construction material, stumps, land-clearing debris and household garbage may not be burned.Outdoor Burning Regulations and Permits, web page; Outdoor Burning Regulation Quick Guide, Quick guide; Fire Protection and Life Safety Regulation Bylaw 2011 No. 7108, s. 30(3), (5), (6) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording During the months of April and November only, residents can obtain an Open Burning permit (no fee at this time) for one (1) burn pile, provided that the burn pile is on a lot that is one (1) acre in size or greater OR the lot is located on Protection Island. Burning is only permitted from sunrise to sunset, Fridays and Saturdays only, during the months of April and November. Outdoor Woodstoves Burn Barrels Burn Piles except on Fridays and Saturdays from sunrise to sunset during the maintain an Open Burning fire greater than one and half (1.5) metres locate an Open Burning fire less than three (3) metres from any No person shall cause, allow or permit open burning of construction materials,
Permit	Yes. An open burning permit is required for yard-waste burning; no fee at this time. Apply online (form open only the month before burning is allowed) or call Nanaimo Fire Rescue at 250-753-7311, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Special event fire permit $50; ceremonial (religious or cultural) fire permit no fee. No permit needed for cooking fires.Outdoor Burning Regulations and Permits, web page; Fire Protection and Life Safety Regulation Bylaw 2011 No. 7108, s. 29(2) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording a permit can be obtained by calling the Nanaimo Fire Rescue Department at 250-753-7311 While there is a fee of $50.00 associated with a burn permit for special events, there is no fee for religious and cultural ceremony burn permits. There is currently no permit or charge required for this type of fire. No person shall ignite any Open Burning fire or cause or permit any Open Burning fire to be ignited at any time unless the person first obtains a Burning Permit.
Fire bans	During a Provincially declared fire or burning ban, no fires are permitted. The Fire Chief may also ban all open burning when adverse atmospheric conditions stop smoke dispersing. Check Coastal Fire Centre bans and restrictions (gov.bc.ca) and the Provincial Venting Index before burning.Outdoor Burning Regulations and Permits, web page; Fire Protection and Life Safety Regulation Bylaw 2011 No. 7108, s. 29(3) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording NOTE: During a Provincially declared Fire/Burning ban - NO FIRES ARE PERMITTED Check the latest updates here: Coastal Fire Centre Bans and Restrictions – Gov.bc.ca the Fire Chief may impose a general ban on all Open Burning for the duration of the said adverse
Instead of burning	Green Cart (organics) collects food waste and yard waste (not branches) weekly. Yard waste can also be taken to the Regional District of Nanaimo Regional Landfill or Church Road Transfer Station.Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2011 No. 7128 (consolidated 2025-DEC-15), Bylaw 7128 s. 2; Banned Items, Regional District of Nanaimo, RDN banned items · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording means a mixture of both food waste and yard waste Yard Waste \| Accepted \| Accepted
Fine	$200 (early $150, late $250) for open burning without a permit, burning outside permitted times, burning during a general fire ban, a fire too large, too close to combustibles, not hand-fed, burning prohibited materials, or leaving a fire unattended.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2012 No. 7159, Schedule A, Schedule A, Fire Protection and Life Safety Regulation Bylaw · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording 29(2) Open burning fire without permit 200.00 150.00 250.00 29(3) Burning contrary to general fire ban 200.00 150.00 250.00 30(3) Open burning outside permitted times 200.00 150.00 250.00 30(7) Fire unattended 200.00 150.00 250.00
Bylaw	Fire Protection and Life Safety Regulation Bylaw 2011 No. 7108 (Part 6, Burning Permits).Fire Protection and Life Safety Regulation Bylaw 2011 No. 7108, title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY REGULATION BYLAW 2011 NO. 7108

How it works

Under the Fire Protection and Life Safety Regulation Bylaw 2011 No. 7108, the City of Nanaimo allows two kinds of backyard fire, and prohibits any fire that is not for cooking. Fires on beaches and in City parks are prohibited.

Steps

Cooking fire: no permit. It must be solely for cooking food, in a device or barrier no more than 24 inches across, burn only clean dry wood or pressed wood/briquettes, and last no more than 2 hours.
Yard waste: your lot must be 1 acre or more, or on Protection Island. Apply online (the form opens the month before burning is allowed) or call Nanaimo Fire Rescue.
Before any fire, check for a Provincial fire ban and the Provincial Venting Index.

Good to know

Yard-waste burning is for organic garden refuse, pruning and wood branches only. Fridays and Saturdays, sunrise to sunset, in April and November.
One pile, no more than 1.5 m across, at least 3 m from combustibles, hand-fed, with a competent person attending.
Burn barrels, construction material, stumps, land-clearing debris and household garbage may not be burned.
The Fire Chief may ban all open burning when smoke will not disperse.
Alternative: the Green Cart collects food and yard waste (not branches) weekly. See the yard waste answer.
Ticket: $200 ($150 early, $250 late) for burning without a permit, outside permitted times, during a ban, or leaving a fire unattended, among others.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Lantzville · Ladysmith · Parksville · Sechelt · Qualicum Beach · Lake Cowichan

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

Sources

Outdoor Burning Regulations and Permits, City of Nanaimo (read 2026-11-05)
Outdoor Burning Regulation Quick Guide (PDF), City of Nanaimo (read 2026-11-05)
Fire Protection and Life Safety Regulation Bylaw 2011 No. 7108 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2012 No. 7159 (PDF), Schedule A (read 2026-11-05)
Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2011 No. 7128 (consolidated 2025-DEC-15) (read 2026-11-05)
Banned Items, Regional District of Nanaimo (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. How answers are checked.