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

# Princeton backyard fire and burning rules

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

**Short answer:** In Princeton, a backyard campfire for warmth or cooking is allowed if it follows the rules in Fire Bylaw 997: a pit no bigger than 0.5 m by 0.5 m, 5 m clear of buildings and trees, and attended. Burning yard waste is not allowed. Check for a fire ban first.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Princeton, https://www.princeton.ca)  
**Cost:** No permit or fee for a backyard campfire was found. Tickets: $125 for burning prohibited materials, breaking the campfire rules or causing an annoyance; $1,000 for ignoring a fire restriction.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Fire Department non-emergency, 250-295-3325
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 778-720-6114 or 250-295-3135 (Town Hall hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- In person: Town Hall, 151 Vermilion Avenue, Princeton, BC (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Backyard campfires:** Allowed for warmth or cooking on private property if: the fire pit is non-combustible, no bigger than 0.5 m x 0.5 m, with flames and fuel no more than 0.5 m wide and 0.5 m high; at least 5 m from property lines, buildings and trees or other combustibles, with a 5 m fuel-free break; only dry untreated lumber or seasoned firewood; attended at all times with 8 litres of water (or a hose) and a shovel; and no fire ban or order is in force. No annoyance to others.
  - Source: [Volunteer Fire Department Bylaw No. 997, 2021, Schedule C, s. 1(a), (f), (g), (h)](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/45260/)
  - Official wording: "A person must not light, ignite or start, or permit, suffer, or allow to be lighted, ignited, or started, a campfire except for warmth or preparation of food" … "is located at least 5 meters from adjacent property lines" … "is surrounded by a 5-metre fuel-free fire break" … "Only dry untreated lumber or seasoned firewood may be used for fuel." … "8 litres of water in one or more containers at the site of the fire pit"
  - Source: [Volunteer Fire Department Bylaw No. 997, 2021, s. 2, "Back yard campfire"](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/45260/)
  - Official wording: "means an open fire that burns seasoned firewood in one pile"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Burning yard waste:** Burning yard waste is not allowed. 'Prohibited materials' include garden waste, leaves and green branches, and a person lighting a backyard campfire or other outdoor fire or open burning must not burn prohibited materials.
  - Source: [Volunteer Fire Department Bylaw No. 997, 2021, s. 2 "Prohibited Materials"; s. 9.3(b)](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/45260/)
  - Official wording: "garden waste, leaves, green branches" … "not burn prohibited materials"
  - Source: [Volunteer Fire Department Bylaw No. 997, 2021, Schedule C s. 1(g)](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/45260/)
  - Official wording: "Leaves, grass, hay, garden or woodland debris branches or other compostable waste or prohibited materials must not be burned in a backyard campfire"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit:** None set. The Fire Bylaw sets no burning permit or fee for backyard campfires.
- **Fire bans:** The Fire Chief can restrict or prohibit burning, backyard campfires, smoking, camping or gathering when conditions risk fires, by verbal notice, by posting at the Town's public notice posting place and on web sites and other methods. Everyone must obey a restriction, and must check for a fire ban or restriction under Provincial Regulation or a Fire Chief notice before lighting a fire.
  - Source: [Volunteer Fire Department Bylaw No. 997, 2021, ss. 5.5, 5.6, 9.3(d)](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/45260/)
  - Official wording: "the Fire Chief may, verbally, by posting a notice, at the Town’s public notice posting place" … "every person must observe any fire restriction or prohibition notified under this Bylaw" … "check for a fire ban or restriction by Provincial Regulation or by a notification"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Instead of burning:** Compostable waste at the Princeton & District Landfill (171 Princeton-Summerland Road): under 250 kg accepted daily free; noxious weeds and infested vegetation free; all other compostable waste $140 a tonne on the Town's 2026/27 fee sheet (Schedule J text says per visit).
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1026, 2022, Schedule J, Landfill, Schedule J, J03, J04, J05](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/53146/)
  - Official wording: "J03 Compostable Waste under 250 kg $ - $ - $ - $ - $ -" … "J04 Noxious Weeds and/or Infested Vegetation $ - $ - $ - $ - $ -" … "J05 All other Compostable Waste $ 115.00 $ 120.00 $ 125.00 $ 130.00 $ 140.00"
  - Source: [Princeton and District Landfill, Landfill page](https://www.princeton.ca/p/princeton-district-landfill)
  - Official wording: "Location: 171 Princeton-Summerland Road"
  - Source: [2026/27 Schedule J Landfill Fees](https://princeton.municipalwebsites.ca/ckfinder/connector?command=Proxy&lang=en&type=Files&currentFolder=%2F&hash=c245c263ce0eced480effe66bbede6b4d46c15ae&fileName=2026-27%20Schedule%20J%20Landfill%20Fees(1%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Under 250 kg (accepted daily) FREE" … "Noxious Weeds and/or Infested Vegetation FREE" … "All other compostable waste $140/tonne"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Burn prohibited materials: $125. Fail to comply with the backyard campfire rules (Schedule C): $125. Cause an annoyance: $125. Fail to comply with a fire restriction: $1,000.
  - Source: [Volunteer Fire Department Bylaw No. 997, 2021, Schedule D](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/45260/)
  - Official wording: "Burn prohibited materials 9.3(b) $125.00" … "Fail to comply with Schedule “C” 9.3(c) $125.00" … "Fail to comply with fire restriction 9.3(d) $1,000.00" … "Cause an annoyance 9.3(a) $125.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Town of Princeton Volunteer Fire Department Bylaw No. 997, 2021 (campfire rules in Schedule C)
  - Source: [Volunteer Fire Department Bylaw No. 997, 2021, title](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/45260/)
  - Official wording: "The Town of Princeton Volunteer Fire Department Bylaw No. 997, 2021"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Volunteer Fire Department Bylaw No. 997, 2021](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/45260/) allows a backyard campfire for warmth or cooking on private property if all of these are met:

- the fire pit is non-combustible and no bigger than 0.5 m by 0.5 m, with flames and fuel no more than 0.5 m wide and 0.5 m high
- it is at least 5 m from property lines, buildings and trees or other combustibles, with a 5 m fuel-free break
- only dry untreated lumber or seasoned firewood is burned
- it is attended at all times, with 8 litres of water (or a hose) and a shovel
- no fire ban or order is in force, and the fire does not annoy others

Burning yard waste is not allowed. Prohibited materials include garden waste, leaves and green branches.

## Steps

1. Check for a Fire Chief restriction or a provincial prohibition before you light a fire.
2. Set up the pit to the sizes and distances above.
3. Stay with the fire and put it out fully.

## Good to know

- The Fire Chief can restrict or prohibit burning, campfires, smoking, camping or gathering by verbal notice, by posting at the Town's public notice posting place, and on web sites. The bylaw names no single page to check; call the Fire Department non-emergency line at 250-295-3325 or Town Hall at 250-295-3135.
- The bylaw sets no burning permit or fee for backyard campfires.
- Instead of burning, take yard waste to the Princeton and District Landfill (171 Princeton-Summerland Road): compostable waste under 250 kg is free each day, and noxious weeds are free. See the yard-waste answer.
- Tickets: $125 for burning prohibited materials, breaking the campfire rules or causing an annoyance; $1,000 for failing to follow a fire restriction.

## Official forms and pages

- [Volunteer Fire Department Bylaw No. 997, 2021 (PDF), Town of Princeton](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/45260/)
- [Princeton and District Landfill, Town of Princeton](https://www.princeton.ca/p/princeton-district-landfill)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1026, 2022, Schedule J, Landfill (PDF), Town of Princeton](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/53146/)

## Related questions

- [Princeton yard waste collection and drop-off](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/yard-waste.md)
- [Princeton bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/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)
- [Keremeos](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/backyard-fire.md)
- [Summerland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/backyard-fire.md)
- [Hope](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/backyard-fire.md)
- [Penticton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/backyard-fire.md)
- [Peachland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/backyard-fire.md)
- [Oliver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oliver/backyard-fire.md)

## Sources

- [Volunteer Fire Department Bylaw No. 997, 2021 (PDF), Town of Princeton](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/45260/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Princeton and District Landfill, Town of Princeton](https://www.princeton.ca/p/princeton-district-landfill) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1026, 2022, Schedule J, Landfill (PDF), Town of Princeton](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/53146/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [2026/27 Schedule J Landfill Fees (PDF), Town of Princeton](https://princeton.municipalwebsites.ca/ckfinder/connector?command=Proxy&lang=en&type=Files&currentFolder=%2F&hash=c245c263ce0eced480effe66bbede6b4d46c15ae&fileName=2026-27%20Schedule%20J%20Landfill%20Fees(1%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact Us, Town of Princeton](https://www.princeton.ca/p/contact-us-) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Emergency Services, Town of Princeton](https://www.princeton.ca/p/emergency-services) (read 2026-11-08)

_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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Town of Princeton. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/backyard-fire/_