Salt Spring Island backyard fire and burning rules

Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste, and do I need a permit?

Salt Spring Island, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

How it works

Salt Spring Island is not a municipality. Open burning is run by Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue, the fire protection improvement district, under Open-Burning Bylaw 125. A permit from the Fire Chief is needed year-round for all open burning, including campfires. It cannot be used on another property. The CRD's Fire Regulation Bylaw 4489 does not apply on Salt Spring.

Steps

1. Call Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue at 250.537.2531 to ask for a permit and the fee, which was not found.
2. Check the Burn Restrictions page or call before you light anything.
3. Follow the size and distance rules below, and have water or a shovel on hand.

Good to know

• Campfire: one pile no bigger than 0.5 m high and 0.5 m wide, for recreation, cooking, warmth or ceremony. Keep it at least 5 m from any structure or property line and 1.5 m from standing vegetation, with a shovel or 8 litres of water on hand.
• Brush piles (Category 2): hand piled, no more than two piles, each up to 2 m high and 3 m wide, at least 10 m from any structure or property line and 5 m from vegetation, with water on hand.
• Garden refuse may be burned in a screened incinerator. Garbage and prohibited materials may not be burned.
• The Fire Chief can order a fire ban for any category of open burning and suspend permits. BC Wildfire Service can also order bans, and local bans can add to provincial ones. Status changes often, so check before you burn.
• Backyard household composting is a permitted use in all residential zones. The CRD lists no municipal yard-waste collection for Salt Spring.
• Breaking Bylaw 125 is an offence under the Offence Act, and the owner may be billed the fire department's costs. Breaking a BC Wildfire Service open fire prohibition brings a $1,150 ticket from the Province.