GovHandbook

Osoyoos backyard fire and burning rules

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

Osoyoos, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-06

Short answer

In Osoyoos, no. The Fire Protection bylaw bans outdoor fires except barbecues and portable propane or gas fireplaces, unless you have a written Special Permit from the Fire Chief. Burning leaves and grass is prohibited. Call the Fire Department at 250-495-4600.

Key facts

Backyard campfiresNot without a written Special Permit from the Fire Chief. The bylaw bans outdoor fires of any kind except barbecues (briquettes, natural gas or propane), portable propane or natural gas fire places, and fire department training. A 'campfire' is defined as a contained fire no more than 0.5 m high and 0.5 m wide.Fire Protection and Life Safety Bylaw No. 1333, 2017, s. 17(a), (b); s. 2; Fire Protection and Life Safety Bylaw No. 1333, 2017, s. 2; Fire Department · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
No person shall light, ignite, start or allow or cause to be lighted, ignited, or
started, an outdoor fire of any kind, or for any purpose except as follows:
The operation of portable propane or natural gas outdoor fire places.
means a small contained outdoor fire, not exceeding 0.5 meters in
Burning is not allowed within Town Boundaries unless authorized by the Fire Chief.
Burning yard wasteBurning leaves, grass or grass cuttings is prohibited, and so are backyard incinerators. Brush or pruning burning needs a Special Permit: agricultural pruning only on land of 2 acres or more, October 15 to April 15, venting index 55+. Permits also cover weed control, land clearing, removing a fire hazard and diseased foliage.Fire Protection and Life Safety Bylaw No. 1333, 2017, s. 17(c); s. 23(h), (j) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
burning for the purposes of burning agricultural pruning between
October 15th and April 15th, provided that such burning takes place
of land of not less than .808 hectares (two acres), authorizing outdoor
The burning of leaves, grass, or grass cuttings in an outdoor fire is prohibited.
domestic outdoor or backyard incinerator, or any structure
or device serving as a domestic incinerator, is expressly prohibited.
PermitYes. A written Special Permit from the Fire Chief is needed for any open-air fire, and an adult must stay in charge of it. Contact the Osoyoos Fire Department, 250.495.4600, fire@osoyoos.ca.Fire Protection and Life Safety Bylaw No. 1333, 2017, s. 17(c)(ii), (iii); Fire Department · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
without first obtaining a written Special Permit to do so from the Fire
shall place and keep a competent adult person at all times in charge
(T) 250.495.4600 (F) 250.495.2400 (E) fire@osoyoos.ca
Fire bansThe Fire Chief may suspend all outdoor burning for public nuisance or safety, including air quality and fire spread. The Town lists the Venting Index line, 250.490.4125. Provincial bans and restrictions are on the BC Wildfire Service page "Fire Prohibitions and Restrictions" at gov.bc.ca.Fire Protection and Life Safety Bylaw No. 1333, 2017, s. 17(c)(xi); Fire Department, Open Burning Notices; Fire Prohibitions and Restrictions, BC Wildfire Service, Current prohibitions and restrictions · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
discretion, suspend any or all outdoor burning for reasons of public
nuisance or public safety, including but not limited to, air quality and
Burning is not allowed within Town Boundaries unless authorized by the Fire Chief. - Open Burning Notices Venting Index 250.490.4125 www.rdos.bc.ca (within the Town of Osoyoos boundaries)
Even if there are no provincial open fire prohibitions in place, always check with local government authorities for any other open fire restrictions.
Instead of burningCurbside yard waste cart (collected on alternating weeks with recycling), kraft paper bags with a Tag-a-Bag sticker, unlimited yard waste collection events, or the Osoyoos landfill at 17250 146 Avenue, where tipping fees are waived for compostables and chippables under 5 inches in loads of 300 kg or less.Garbage and Recycling (Curbside), Yard waste; Waste Management Services and Regulation Bylaw No. 1370, 2020, Schedule A (1370.05) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
recycling and yard waste will alternate weeks.
Additional yard waste may be placed in kraft paper yard waste bags.
Tipping fees are waived on Type “A”
compostables and chippables under 5” for loads
FineBylaw notice: unauthorized burning, fire without permit or fire larger than 1 m: $200 ($200 early, $210 late); burning leaves, grass or cuttings $100 ($80 early). Municipal ticket: those offences $200 (burning leaves or grass $200).Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1392, 2025, Schedule A, Fire Protection; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1279, 2011, Schedule 8 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
17 (b) Unauthorized burning $200 $200 $210 Yes
17 (c) (ii) Fire without permit $200 $200 $210 Yes
22 (a) Burning of leaves, grass or grass $100 $80 $110 Yes cuttings
Unauthorized burning 17 (b) $200.00 $200.00
Burning of leaves, grass or grass cuttings 23 (j) $200.00 $200.00
BylawFire Protection and Life Safety Bylaw No. 1333, 2017Fire Protection and Life Safety Bylaw No. 1333, 2017, cover · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
TOWN OF OSOYOOS FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY BYLAW NO.1333, 2017 CONSOLIDATED VERSION Adopted June 4, 2018

How it works

The Town of Osoyoos's Fire Protection and Life Safety Bylaw No. 1333 bans outdoor fires of any kind except barbecues (briquettes, natural gas or propane), portable propane or natural gas fireplaces, and fire department training. Anything else, including a campfire, needs a written Special Permit from the Fire Chief, and an adult must stay in charge of the fire. A campfire is defined as a contained fire no more than 0.5 m high and 0.5 m wide. The bylaw gives no conditions specific to campfires.

Burning yard waste

  • Burning leaves, grass or grass cuttings is prohibited, and so are backyard incinerators.
  • Brush or pruning burning needs a Special Permit: agricultural pruning only on land of 2 acres or more, October 15 to April 15, with a venting index of 55 or more. Permits also cover weed control, land clearing, removing a fire hazard and diseased foliage.
  • A permit fire must be 100 m from any residence, inhabited area or business, and 500 m from any hospital, school or continuing care facility.
  • Treated wood, paper, tires, shingles, plastics and anything making heavy black smoke may not be burned.

Steps

  1. Contact the Osoyoos Fire Department at 250-495-4600 or fire@osoyoos.ca to ask for a Special Permit.
  2. Check air quality on the Venting Index line, 250-490-4125.
  3. Check Provincial bans on the BC Wildfire Service page "Fire Prohibitions and Restrictions" at gov.bc.ca.

Good to know

  • The Fire Chief may suspend all outdoor burning for public nuisance or safety, including air quality and fire spread.
  • A permit does not replace any Provincial requirement.
  • Instead of burning, use the green yard waste cart, kraft paper bags with a Tag-a-Bag sticker, or the landfill. See the yard waste answer.
  • Fines: unauthorized burning, or a fire without a permit, is $200 on a bylaw notice ($200 early, $210 late) and $200 on a municipal ticket. Burning leaves or grass is $100 ($80 early) on a bylaw notice and $200 on a municipal ticket.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Oliver · Keremeos · Midway · Penticton · Greenwood · Summerland

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

Sources

  1. Fire Protection and Life Safety Bylaw No. 1333, 2017, Town of Osoyoos (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
  2. Fire Department, Town of Osoyoos (read 2026-11-06)
  3. Fire Prohibitions and Restrictions, BC Wildfire Service (read 2026-11-06)
  4. Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1392, 2025, Town of Osoyoos (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
  5. Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1279, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
  6. Waste Management Services and Regulation Bylaw No. 1370, 2020, Town of Osoyoos (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
  7. Garbage and Recycling (Curbside), Town of Osoyoos (read 2026-11-06)

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.