Smithers backyard fire and burning rules

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

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

Short answer

In Smithers, only small campfires used solely for cooking food, in a proper fire pit with cured wood, no larger than 0.5 m high by 0.5 m wide, are allowed. Recreational campfires, bonfires and burning yard waste are not permitted. Email fire@smithers.ca about land clearing burn permits.

Key facts

Backyard campfires	Only campfires used solely for cooking food, using cured wood in a proper fire pit, are permitted, no larger than 0.5 m high by 0.5 m wide. Recreational campfires and bonfires are not permitted.Outdoor Burning, Open Burning in your Backyard · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Campfires solely used for the cooking of food using cured wood in proper fire pits are permitted All other Backyard Open Burning, including recreational campfires and bonfires, are not permitted no larger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide
Burning yard waste	Generally not allowed: the Open Burning Bylaw prohibits burning domestic waste, garden refuse, garbage, land clearing or noxious materials within the Town. The Town may issue Land Clearing Open Burning Permits where no practical alternatives exist.Outdoor Burning · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording prohibits the burning of domestic waste, garden refuse, garbage, land clearing or noxious materials The Town may issue Land Clearing Open Burning Permits where no practical alternatives exist
Permit	The Town may issue Land Clearing Open Burning Permits only where no practical alternatives exist and burning will not cause nuisance or endanger the public. Email fire@smithers.ca.Outdoor Burning, Open Burning Permits · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording The Town may issue Land Clearing Open Burning Permits where no practical alternatives exist Email fire@smithers.ca for more information.
Fire bans	The Town adopts fire prohibition orders put in place by the Province and may add or extend its own. Check with Smithers Fire Rescue or the BC Wildfire Service fire bans and restrictions page.Outdoor Burning, Fire Prohibitions · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording the Town of Smithers adopts all fire prohibition orders please contact Smithers Fire Rescue and/or visit BC Wildfire Service
Instead of burning	The Town's yard-waste drop-off site at 2888 19th Avenue takes garden waste, leaves and grass clippings, open to residents seven days a week. Branches go to the Regional District transfer station.Yard Waste Drop-off · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording located at the Operations Department at 2888 19th Avenue The drop-off is available to residents seven days a week. Branches are not compostable material and should be brought to the Regional District Transfer Station.
Fine	Bylaw notice: burning prohibited materials (Open Burning Bylaw s. 2.1) $300; burning without a permit (s. 2.2) $300; unauthorized open fire in a park $300. The schedule also shows $150 early and $400 late, but s. 8.1 describes the columns differently; confirm with the Town.Sources differ: Amounts are from the Schedule A table of Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011 (adopted Aug. 25, 2026). The table headings read Penalty / Early Payment (within 14 days) / Late Payment (after 28 days), but s. 8.1 of the same bylaw says the Column 3 amount is payable within 14 days, Column 4 between 14 and 28 days and Column 5 after 28 days, so which figure is the 'full' amount is unclear; confirm with the Town. No Municipal Ticket Information bylaw was found in the bylaw library.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011, Schedule A, Open Burning table; Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011, Schedule A, Parks bylaw table · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Burn prohibited materials 2.1 300.00 150.00 400.00 NO Burn without permit 2.2 300.00 150.00 400.00 NO Unauthorized open fire 3.2.b 300.00 150.00 400.00 NO amount set out in Column 3 of "Schedule A"; or Unauthorized open fire 3.2.b 300.00 150.00 400.00 NO
Bylaw	Town of Smithers Open Burning Bylaw No. 1155Outdoor Burning · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Town of Smithers Open Burning Bylaw No. 1155

How it works

The Town's Open Burning Bylaw No. 1155 (described on the Town's Outdoor Burning page) prohibits burning domestic waste, garden refuse, garbage, land clearing or noxious materials. Only campfires used solely for cooking food, using cured wood in a proper fire pit, are permitted, no larger than 0.5 m high by 0.5 m wide. Recreational campfires and bonfires are not permitted.

Steps

For garden waste, use the Town's yard-waste drop-off at 2888 19th Avenue instead (see the yard waste answer).
If you need to burn for land clearing, email fire@smithers.ca. The Town may issue a Land Clearing Open Burning Permit only where no practical alternative exists and burning will not cause a nuisance or endanger the public.
Before any fire, check for a fire ban.

Good to know

Fire bans: the Town adopts fire prohibition orders put in place by the Province and may add or extend its own. Check with Smithers Fire Rescue or the BC Wildfire Service fire bans and restrictions page for the current status.
Bylaw notices: burning prohibited materials $300; burning without a permit $300; unauthorized open fire in a park $300. The early and late amounts and their timing should be confirmed with the Town.
Branches go to the Regional District transfer station, not the Town drop-off.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Telkwa · Houston · Granisle · Terrace · Burns Lake · Kitimat

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

Sources

Outdoor Burning, Town of Smithers (read 2026-11-06)
Yard Waste Drop-off, Town of Smithers (read 2026-11-06)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011, Town of Smithers (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.