--- title: Port Alberni backyard fire and burning rules question: "Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in Port Alberni?" place: Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/port-alberni category: Bylaws, noise and complaints owner: municipal owner_body: City of Port Alberni sources_read: 2026-11-05 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/backyard-fire/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/backyard-fire.json" --- # Port Alberni backyard fire and burning rules **Question:** Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in Port Alberni? **Short answer:** Yes, small campfires are allowed in Port Alberni year-round unless the Fire Chief suspends outdoor burning. A campfire must be no bigger than 0.5 m high and wide and kept 3 m from anything that burns. Burning yard waste and other open burning is prohibited. Check for a suspension first. **Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Port Alberni, https://www.portalberni.ca) **Cost:** No burning permit or fee found for campfires. Bylaw notice $250 for most breaches; $500 for a fire that escapes, prohibited burning, or burning during a suspension. **Where:** - Phone: Port Alberni Fire Department (non-emergency), 250-724-1351 - In person: Fire Hall, 3699 10th Avenue, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 4W3 ## Key facts - **Backyard campfires:** Campfires are allowed year-round unless the Fire Chief suspends outdoor burning: a small contained fire no bigger than 0.5 m high and 0.5 m wide, 3 m from grass, shrubs, fences, combustibles and buildings. A competent adult must stay with it, with 8 litres of water or a hose. Dry firewood, branches and stems only; no burn barrels. - Source: [Fire Control Bylaw No. 5122, 2024, s. 2, s. 16.1(b)-(g)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5122_Fire%20Control%20Bylaw%20No%205122_2024_0.pdf) - Official wording: "not exceeding 0.5 metres in height" … "Campfires are allowed throughout the year" … "open air burning must not take place within 3 metres of any grass, shrubbery, or" … "a competent adult person shall remain in charge at the site of such fire at all times" … "Permissible Campfire fuels include dry firewood, branches and stems" … "including burn barrels" … "the Fire Chief may, at their discretion, suspend any or all outdoor burning" - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulations](https://www.portalberni.ca/content/outdoor-burning-regulations) - Official wording: "Burning must take place during daylight hours only." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Burning yard waste:** No. Burning yard waste, grass cuttings, leaves, vegetable matter, manufactured material (including lumber), land-clearing debris, construction waste or demolition materials is prohibited. The Fire Chief can authorize burning to reduce hazardous conditions, for fire training or for the good of the City. - Source: [Fire Control Bylaw No. 5122, 2024, s. 16.1(f), (h), 16.2](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5122_Fire%20Control%20Bylaw%20No%205122_2024_0.pdf) - Official wording: "no person shall burn in the open air any manufactured material, including" … "open air burning is prohibited for land clearing debris, wastes from construction, and" … "open air burning is allowed where authorized by the" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Permit:** None set. The bylaw and the City's pages describe no permit or fee for a campfire. - **Fire bans:** The Fire Chief may suspend any or all outdoor burning for public nuisance or safety, including air quality and fire spread risk; during a suspension no one may carry on open burning in the City. Check the City's Burning Regulations page or call the Fire Department at 250-724-1351. - Source: [Fire Control Bylaw No. 5122, 2024, s. 16.3](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5122_Fire%20Control%20Bylaw%20No%205122_2024_0.pdf) - Official wording: "the Fire Chief may, at their discretion, suspend any or" … "in such event no person shall carry on open" - Source: [Burning Regulations, Contact](https://www.portalberni.ca/burning-regulations) - Official wording: "Non-Emergency Contact Fire Hall, 3699 10th Avenue Port Alberni BC V9Y 4W3 #### Telephone Direct: 250-724-1351" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Instead of burning:** Yard waste goes in the green organics cart collected weekly (branches up to 2 ft long and 2 in. thick), or can be taken to the Alberni Valley Sort'nGo Centre (residential branches $10 per load). The City also suggests recycling, shredding or composting. - Source: [Organics, Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District](https://www.acrd.bc.ca/organics) - Official wording: "Yard waste is accepted too." - Source: [Bylaw R1029-10, Alberni Valley Landfill Tipping Fee and Regulation Amendment, 2026, Schedule A](https://www.acrd.bc.ca/dms/documents/bylaws/landfill-bylaws/r1029-10_av_landfill_tipping_fee.pdf) - Official wording: "Organics $115.00 per tonne $5 minimum. $5 per 20L bucket Residential Branches $10.00 per load Controlled Waste Tipping Fee Other Charges Construction/Demolition Waste $185.00 per tonne $15.00 minimum" - Source: [Burning Regulations](https://www.portalberni.ca/burning-regulations) - Official wording: "The best practice is to explore other options such as recycling, shredding or composting." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $250 for most breaches (no authorization, campfire over 0.5 m, location, no competent adult, banned material or appliance; $187.50 early, $312.50 late); $500 for a fire escaping, prohibited burning or burning during a suspension ($375 early; $500 late). The bylaw's own ticket schedule lists the same amounts. - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 5128, 2025 (consolidated), Schedule A-10](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5128%2C%205128-1_Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20No.%205128%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf) - Official wording: "Outdoor fire without authorization $250.00 $187.50 $312.50" … "Prohibited burning $500.00 $375.00 $500.00" … "Outdoor burning during suspension $500.00 $375.00 $500.00" - Source: [Fire Control Bylaw No. 5122, 2024, Schedule of fines](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5122_Fire%20Control%20Bylaw%20No%205122_2024_0.pdf) - Official wording: "Outdoor fire without authorization 16.1 (a) $250" … "Outdoor burning during suspension 16.3 $500" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Fire Control Bylaw No. 5122, 2024 (s. 16, Outdoor Burning) - Source: [Fire Control Bylaw No. 5122, 2024, s. 1](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5122_Fire%20Control%20Bylaw%20No%205122_2024_0.pdf) - Official wording: "Fire Control Bylaw No. 5122," - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works Under s. 16 of the [Fire Control Bylaw No. 5122](), campfires are allowed year-round unless the Fire Chief suspends outdoor burning. A campfire must be a small contained fire no bigger than 0.5 m high and 0.5 m wide, 3 m from grass, shrubs, fences, combustibles and buildings. A competent adult must stay with it, with 8 litres of water or a hose at hand. Burn only dry firewood, branches and stems; burn barrels are not allowed. The bylaw and the City's pages describe no permit or fee for a campfire. ## Steps 1. Before you light anything, check the City's Burning Regulations page or call the Fire Department at 250-724-1351 to see whether outdoor burning is suspended. A suspension has been used (one began May 7, 2026), and it covers campfires. 2. If burning is allowed, follow the size, distance and supervision rules above. ## Good to know - Open burning of yard waste, grass cuttings, leaves, vegetable matter, manufactured material (including lumber), land-clearing debris, construction waste or demolition materials is prohibited. The Fire Chief can authorize burning to reduce hazardous conditions, for fire training or for the good of the City. - The Fire Chief may suspend any or all outdoor burning for public nuisance or safety, including air quality and fire spread risk. During a suspension no one may carry on open burning in the City. - The City's web summary also mentions daylight hours for campfires; the bylaw text does not, so confirm with the Fire Department. - Instead of burning, put yard waste in the green organics cart (collected weekly; branches up to 2 ft long and 2 in. thick), or take it to the Alberni Valley Sort'nGo Centre (residential branches $10 per load). - A bylaw notice is $250 for most breaches ($187.50 if paid within 14 days, $312.50 if paid late), or $500 for a fire that escapes, prohibited burning, or burning during a suspension ($375 early, $500 late), under the [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 5128](). The Fire Control Bylaw's own schedule lists the same amounts. ## Official forms and pages - [Fire Control Bylaw No. 5122, 2024 (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5122_Fire%20Control%20Bylaw%20No%205122_2024_0.pdf) - [Burning Regulations, City of Port Alberni](https://www.portalberni.ca/burning-regulations) ## Related questions - [Port Alberni yard waste collection and drop-off](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/yard-waste.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-fire.md) - [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/backyard-fire.md) - [Parksville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/backyard-fire.md) - [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/backyard-fire.md) - [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/backyard-fire.md) - [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/backyard-fire.md) - [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/backyard-fire.md) ## Sources - [Fire Control Bylaw No. 5122, 2024 (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5122_Fire%20Control%20Bylaw%20No%205122_2024_0.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) - [Burning Regulations, City of Port Alberni](https://www.portalberni.ca/burning-regulations) (read 2026-11-05) - [Outdoor Burning Regulations, City of Port Alberni](https://www.portalberni.ca/content/outdoor-burning-regulations) (read 2026-11-05) - [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 5128, 2025 (consolidated) (PDF)](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5128%2C%205128-1_Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20No.%205128%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) - [Organics, Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District](https://www.acrd.bc.ca/organics) (read 2026-11-05) - [Bylaw R1029-10, Alberni Valley Landfill Tipping Fee and Regulation Amendment, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.acrd.bc.ca/dms/documents/bylaws/landfill-bylaws/r1029-10_av_landfill_tipping_fee.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. 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