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

# Salmo backyard fire and burning rules

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

**Short answer:** In Salmo, the Fire Prevention Bylaw bars lighting a fire of any kind in the open air except as otherwise provided. It sets no burning season and no yard-waste burning permit, and never allows burning tires, plastics or treated lumber. Check for fire bans before lighting.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Salmo, https://salmo.ca)  
**Cost:** No permit or fee is set in the bylaw. Fines: $500 for burning prohibited materials; $1,150 for starting a fire in hazardous conditions or during a Provincial fire ban.  
**How long:** The bylaw sets no burning season or dates. Check current bans before any fire.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 423 Davies Avenue, Salmo, BC V0G 1Z0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. and on statutory holidays))
- Phone: Village Office, 250-357-9433

## Key facts

- **Backyard campfires:** The bylaw defines a campfire as a contained outdoor fire no larger than 1/2 metre across and 1/2 metre high. Campfires and certified outdoor fireplaces are left out of its "open burning" definition. It does not say in so many words that they are allowed.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 719, 2020, consolidated with Bylaw #765, s. 2.1 (Campfire, Open Burning, Outdoor Fireplace)](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/719-Fire-Prevention-Consolidated-with-Bylaw-765.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Campfire – means a contained outdoor fire, not exceeding ½ meter in diameter and ½ meter in height." … "d) Campfires and;" … "e) Outdoor Fireplaces."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Burning yard waste:** No one may light a fire of any kind in the open air except as otherwise provided; the bylaw sets no burning season or yard-waste permit. Tires, plastics, domestic waste, paint, treated lumber and similar materials may never be burned. The Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation applies.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 719, 2020, consolidated with Bylaw #765, s. 4.1, 4.2, 4.5; s. 2.1](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/719-Fire-Prevention-Consolidated-with-Bylaw-765.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Except as otherwise provided, no person may light, ignite or allow or cause to be lit or started a fire of any kind in the open air." … "Permitted Burning Material – means seasoned and dry parts of trees or other vegetation." … "Every person must comply with the requirements set out in the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit:** None set. Salmo's Fire Prevention Bylaw sets no permit process for burning.
- **Fire bans:** No fire may be started when banned under Provincial regulation. The Fire Chief may ban, extinguish or require extinguishment of any burning considered hazardous. The Village posts notices of campfire prohibitions.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 719, 2020, consolidated with Bylaw #765, s. 4.3, 4.6](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/719-Fire-Prevention-Consolidated-with-Bylaw-765.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The Fire Chief, or other Fire Officer acting in their place, may take any action to ban, extinguish or require extinguishment of any burning that the Fire Chief considers Hazardous." … "banned under Provincial regulation"
  - Source: [Campfire prohibition notice, Notice page](https://salmo.ca/campfire-prohibition/)
  - Official wording: "CAMPFIRE PROHIBITION THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST FIRE CENTRE"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Instead of burning:** The Village collects bagged compostable yard and garden waste at the curb twice a year (spring and fall clean-up). The RDCK Central (Salmo) Transfer Station, 550 Emerald Road, takes yard and garden waste free in May and October only.
  - Source: [Recycling and Garbage, Garbage and recycling page](https://salmo.ca/services/recycling-and-garbage/)
  - Official wording: "The Village picks up compostable yard and garden waste twice a year – once in the spring and once in the fall." … "Yard & Garden Waste accepted for free in May and October (only). User fees apply the rest of the year."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Schedule A fines: $500 for burning prohibited materials; $1,150 for starting a fire in hazardous conditions or during a Provincial fire ban; $250 for breaching the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation; $500 for more than one open fire a week or over 6 hours a day in a public welfare emergency.
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 719, 2020, consolidated with Bylaw #765, Schedule A (Fines)](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/719-Fire-Prevention-Consolidated-with-Bylaw-765.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Burning of prohibited materials 4.2 $500.00" … "Starting fire in Hazardous conditions or during Provincial fire 4.3 $1,150.00" … "Non-compliance with Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation 4.4 $250.00" … "This Bylaw is designated under section 264 of the Community Charter as a bylaw that may be enforced by means of a Bylaw Notice." … "A person who commits an offence under this Bylaw will be liable to a penalty established under the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 719, 2020 (as amended by Bylaw #765, 2025).
  - Source: [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 719, 2020, consolidated with Bylaw #765, Title](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/719-Fire-Prevention-Consolidated-with-Bylaw-765.pdf)
  - Official wording: "FIRE PREVENTION BYLAW NO. 719, 2020"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 719](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/719-Fire-Prevention-Consolidated-with-Bylaw-765.pdf) (as amended by Bylaw #765) says no one may light a fire of any kind in the open air except as otherwise provided. It sets no burning season and no yard-waste permit. It defines a campfire as a contained outdoor fire no larger than 1/2 metre across and 1/2 metre high. Campfires and certified outdoor fireplaces are left out of its "open burning" definition, but the bylaw does not say in so many words that they are allowed.

Tires, plastics, domestic waste, paint, treated lumber and similar materials may never be burned. The Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation applies.

## Steps

1. Check for a current fire ban on the Village website (it posts campfire prohibition notices) and with the BC Wildfire Service.
2. Do not light a fire in hazardous wind or weather.
3. Ask the Village office (250-357-9433) before burning anything, since the bylaw sets no permit process.

## Good to know

- No fire may be started when banned under Provincial regulation. The Fire Chief may ban, extinguish or require extinguishment of any burning considered hazardous.
- Fines: $500 for burning prohibited materials; $1,150 for a fire in hazardous conditions or during a Provincial fire ban; $250 for breaching the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation; $500 for more than one open fire a week or over 6 hours a day in a public welfare emergency. A court fine of $100 to $2,000 plus costs is also possible.
- For yard waste, see the [Village garbage and recycling page](https://salmo.ca/services/recycling-and-garbage/) and the yard waste answer.
- The Village posts this bylaw as 'consolidated for convenience only, not official version'; confirm with the Village office.

## Official forms and pages

- [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 719, 2020, consolidated with Bylaw #765 (PDF)](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/719-Fire-Prevention-Consolidated-with-Bylaw-765.pdf)
- [Campfire prohibition notice, Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/campfire-prohibition/)
- [Recycling and Garbage, Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/services/recycling-and-garbage/)

## Related questions

- [Salmo yard waste collection and drop-off](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/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)
- [Fruitvale](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/backyard-fire.md)
- [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/backyard-fire.md)
- [Castlegar](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/backyard-fire.md)
- [Nelson](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/backyard-fire.md)
- [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/backyard-fire.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/backyard-fire.md)

## Sources

- [Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 719, 2020, consolidated with Bylaw #765 (PDF)](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/719-Fire-Prevention-Consolidated-with-Bylaw-765.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Campfire prohibition notice, Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/campfire-prohibition/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Recycling and Garbage, Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/services/recycling-and-garbage/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact, Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/contact/) (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 Village of Salmo. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/backyard-fire/_