Surrey backyard fire and burning rules

Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste?

Surrey, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

No. The City of Surrey does not permit open burning, so backyard fires, wood fire pits, chimineas and burning yard waste are not allowed. Propane and natural gas fire pits are the exception. Only farm properties can get an agricultural burning permit, from the Fire Chief.

Key facts

Backyard campfires	No. Open burning is not permitted in Surrey, so backyard fires, fire pits, chimineas and other outdoor burning are not allowed, other than propane or natural gas fire pits. Cooking fires, campfires and burning garbage are prohibited.Burning Regulations & Permits, Outdoor burning regulations; Surrey Fire Services Bylaw, 2026, No. 22020, s. 21 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording open burning is not permitted in the City of Surrey. backyard fires, fire pits, chimineas, and any other type of outdoor burning other than propane or natural gas fire pits are not allowed. Cooking fires, campfires, and the burning of garbage are all prohibited in the City of Surrey. No person shall Start, maintain or authorize any outdoor fire, including but not limited to unless in accordance with a permit issued by the Fire Chief
Burning yard waste	No burning of yard waste or brush piles. Only farm properties (classified as farm by BC Assessment and actively farming) can get an agricultural burning permit, valid January 1 to April 30 and October 1 to December 31, for material native to the property. Stumps and trees from land clearing cannot be burned. Materials may not be brought in to be burned.Burning Regulations & Permits, Burning permits for agricultural purposes; Surrey Fire Services Bylaw, 2026, No. 22020, s. 25, 28 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Burning for agricultural purposes is allowed by permit only. Burning permits are valid only from January 1 to April 30 and October 1 to December 31. Materials from land clearing such as stumps and trees cannot be burned at any time. All material authorized to be burned outdoors on a property pursuant to this Bylaw must be No person shall transport, or cause to be transported, material of any kind into the City
Permit	A permit from the Fire Chief is required for any outdoor fire (s. 21). In practice permits are for agricultural burning on farm property only; there is no fee for that permit. The Fire Chief may deny or revoke a permit when conditions make a fire a hazard. Contact Surrey Fire Prevention at fireprevention@surrey.ca or 604-543-6780.Surrey Fire Services Bylaw, 2026, No. 22020, s. 21, 22, 24; Burning Regulations & Permits, Contact · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording must be displayed on site of the burning. There shall be no fee for a burning permit issued for Agricultural Purposes on Farm Property email fireprevention@surrey.ca or call the Surrey Fire Prevention Division at 604-543-6780.
Fire bans	BC's provincial fire bans and restrictions apply from May through October; Surrey is in the Coastal Fire Centre. Check the BC Wildfire Service website before any open flame. Surrey also posts a local Fire Danger Rating on roadside signs, digital billboards and its webpage. Agricultural permits may be suspended by BC Wildfire Management or the Fire Chief.Burning Regulations & Permits, Provincial fire bans & restrictions · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording From May through October, provincial fire bans and restrictions are enforced throughout British Columbia. Surrey falls under the Coastal Fire Centre Burning permits may be suspended at any time under the authority of BC Wildfire Management or by order of the Fire Chief
Instead of burning	Yard trimmings go in the green organics cart (collected weekly). Extra yard waste can go in paper bags, labelled cans or tied bundles beside the cart at no extra cost.Collection Schedules, Collection overview; Waste Collection Carts, Tips for handling extra waste · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Organics: every week Include all food scraps and yard trimmings. There is no additional cost for placing extra bags or bundles of branches beside your cart.
Fine	Bylaw 22020 s. 38: on conviction, a fine of $100 to $50,000; each day is a separate offence. The bylaw notice and municipal ticket schedules still list only the repealed Fire Service Bylaw 10771 (unlawful burning: bylaw notice $200, $150 early, $250 late; municipal ticket $200).Surrey Fire Services Bylaw, 2026, No. 22020, s. 38; Surrey Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, 2016, No. 18691, Schedule A, Part 11; Surrey Municipal Ticket Information Utilization By-law, 1994, No. 12508, Schedule 15 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording is liable to a fine of not less than $100 or more than $50,000. "Surrey Fire Prevention By-law, 1990, No. 10771", together with all amendments 10771 30(a) Unlawful burning $200.00 $150.00 $250.00 4. Unlawful burning 30(a) $200.00
Bylaw	Surrey Fire Services Bylaw, 2026, No. 22020 (the City's pages call it the Prevention and Suppression of Fires Bylaw)Surrey Fire Services Bylaw, 2026, No. 22020, s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording This Bylaw may be cited as “Surrey Fire Services Bylaw, 2026, No. 22020”

How it works

Under the Fire Services Bylaw 22020 (the City's pages call it the Prevention and Suppression of Fires Bylaw), an outdoor fire needs a permit from the Fire Chief. The City says open burning is not permitted in Surrey. Cooking fires, campfires and burning garbage are prohibited, and so are beach fires within Surrey.

Good to know

Yard waste and brush piles cannot be burned. Put yard trimmings in your green organics cart, collected weekly. Extra can go beside it in paper bags, labelled cans or tied bundles at no extra cost.
Farms: only properties classified as farm by BC Assessment and actively farming can get an agricultural burning permit, for material native to the property. Stumps and trees from land clearing cannot be burned, and materials may not be brought in to be burned.
The Fire Chief may deny or revoke a permit when conditions make a fire a hazard. Permits can also be suspended by BC Wildfire Management.
BC's provincial fire bans and restrictions apply from May through October; Surrey is in the Coastal Fire Centre. Check the BC Wildfire Service website before any open flame. Surrey also posts a Fire Danger Rating on roadside signs and its webpage.
On conviction, Bylaw 22020 s. 38 sets a fine of $100 to $50,000, and each day is a separate offence.
The ticket schedules still list only the repealed Bylaw 10771: unlawful burning is a bylaw notice of $200 ($150 if paid within 14 days; $250 if late) or a municipal ticket of $200.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Langley City · White Rock · New Westminster · Port Coquitlam · Township of Langley · Coquitlam

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

Sources

Burning Regulations & Permits, City of Surrey (read 2026-11-05)
Surrey Fire Services Bylaw, 2026, No. 22020 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Surrey Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, 2016, No. 18691, Schedule A (read 2026-11-05)
Surrey Municipal Ticket Information Utilization By-law, 1994, No. 12508 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Collection Schedules, City of Surrey (read 2026-11-05)
Waste Collection Carts, City of Surrey (read 2026-11-05)

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