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

# Tahsis backyard fire and burning rules

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

**Short answer:** In Tahsis, campfires and small cooking fires need no permit. Burning garden refuse is banned April 14 to October 14, and from October 15 to April 14 it needs a permit and a day the Fire Chief designates. All burning can be banned in high wildfire risk.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Tahsis, https://villageoftahsis.com)  
**Cost:** The Village's 2019 information sheet gives the open burning permit fee as $30. No current fee schedule read lists it. No ticket amount is set.  
**How long:** A burning permit is valid for one burning period; a separate permit is needed for each.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Tahsis Fire Rescue, 250-202-9618 (Fire Hall, 433 Alpine View Road)
- In person: Village Office or Fire Hall (permit forms, per the 2019 sheet), 977 South Maquinna Dr., Tahsis, BC

## Key facts

- **Backyard campfires:** Yes, no permit needed for campfires or small cooking fires on barbecues and grills. The bylaw allows up to 30 inches across; the Village's April 2026 notice says no larger than 50 cm high and 50 cm across, so use that. Keep water ready. All burning may be banned in high wildfire risk. (Sources differ: The bylaw defines a campfire by diameter only (30 inches, about 76 cm). The April 2026 Village notice says no larger than 50 cm high and 50 cm in diameter. The bylaw governs; the notice is the Village's current guidance and is the safer size to follow.)
  - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 516, 2005, ss. 1(q), 9(c)](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/burning-bylaw-516.pdf)
  - Official wording: ""Campfire" means a small, open air burn no larger than 30" in diameter" … "(c) Campfires of other small confined fires used for the cooking of food on barbecues and grills."
  - Source: [Burning prohibited reminder, April 2026, Village notice, April 2026](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/burning-prohibted-reminder-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A campfire is defined as a fire no larger than 50cm high and 50cm in diameter." … "You must have water readily available to exƟnguish the fire." … "all burning including campfires may be prohibited."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Burning yard waste:** Open burning of garden refuse (leaves, prunings, weeds) is prohibited April 14 to October 14. From October 15 to April 14 it needs a permit and may be done only on days the Fire Chief designates, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in a fire no more than 1 m across and 1 m high. Only garden refuse grown on the property, never garbage or construction waste.
  - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 516, 2005, ss. 2.2-2.3, 3.1](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/burning-bylaw-516.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Open burning is prohibited during times specified by the Fire Chief as burning ban periods and Ministry of Forest fire ban regulations April 14th to October 14" … "the fire is for the purpose of burning garden refuse that is produced on the property where burning is taking place;" … "the fire is burning during the time period between 10:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. of the same day;" … "designated by the Fire Chief for open burning;" … "No person shall dispose of animal organic waste, construction waste, domestic waste materials, garbage or noxious material by open burning."
  - Source: [Burning prohibited reminder, April 2026, Village notice, April 2026](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/burning-prohibted-reminder-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Open Burning of yard debris and any other materials is PROHIBITED under Bylaw No. 516 between April 14th and October 14th annually."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit:** Yes, for open burning (not campfires): a written permit from the Fire Chief or designate, valid for one burning period; a separate permit is needed for each period, and it must be at the burn site. The Village's 2019 information sheet gives the fee as $30 and says forms are at the Village Office or the Fire Hall.
  - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 516, 2005, s. 2](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/burning-bylaw-516.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall light, ignite, start, or burn any fire for the purpose of open burning, without first having obtained a permit to do so from the Fire Chief or designate."
  - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 516, 2005, ss. 5.1-5.2](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/burning-bylaw-516.pdf)
  - Official wording: "shall be valid during the specified burning period designated under Section 2.3 (d) of this bylaw. A person shall" … "apply for separate permit for each burning period."
  - Source: [Open Burning Requirements information sheet, 2019, 2019 information sheet](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/OPE-BURNING-REQUIREMENTS-3.pdf)
  - Official wording: "All Open Burning requires a permit under Village bylaws." … "The fee is $30. 00." … "Forms are also available at the Village Office or the Tahsis Fire Hall during regular business"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fire bans:** Open burning is also prohibited whenever the Fire Chief declares a burning-ban period or provincial fire-ban regulations apply. The Village posts bans (with the BC Wildfire Service Coastal Fire Centre) as notices; ask Tahsis Fire Rescue at 250-202-9618.
  - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 516, 2005, s. 2.2](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/burning-bylaw-516.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Open burning is prohibited during times specified by the Fire Chief as burning ban periods and Ministry of Forest fire ban regulations"
  - Source: [Burning prohibited reminder, April 2026, Village notice, April 2026](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/burning-prohibted-reminder-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "please contact the Fire Rescue Department at 250-202-9618."
  - Source: [https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/fire-ban-2026.pdf, Village notice, May 2026](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/fire-ban-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "including CAMPFIRES will be PROHIBITED within the Village of Tahsis and throughout the Coastal Fire Centre"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Instead of burning:** Not confirmed. No official page read says where yard waste may go instead of burning.
- **Fine:** No ticket amount is set. An offence under the burning bylaw is punishable in accordance with the Offence Act; each day is a separate offence. The owner pays the Fire Department's costs of controlling an escaped or prohibited fire.
  - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 516, 2005, ss. 6.1, 8.2, 8.3](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/burning-bylaw-516.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Any person guilty of an offence under this Bylaw shall be punishable in" … "Each day a violation is caused or allowed to continue constitutes a separate"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 516, 2005
  - Source: [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 516, 2005, Title](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/burning-bylaw-516.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as the "Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 516, 2005""
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The Village's [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 516](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/burning-bylaw-516.pdf) lets you have a campfire or a small cooking fire on a barbecue or grill without a permit. Keep water ready. Burning garden refuse (leaves, prunings, weeds grown on your property, never garbage or construction waste) is a separate "open burning" with a permit.

## Steps

1. Campfires: keep it small. The bylaw allows up to 30 inches across, but the Village's April 2026 notice says no larger than 50 cm high and 50 cm across. Use the smaller size.
2. Garden refuse: do not burn from April 14 to October 14.
3. From October 15 to April 14, get a written permit from the Fire Chief or designate. Forms are at the Village Office or the Fire Hall, according to the 2019 sheet.
4. Burn only on days the Fire Chief designates, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in a fire no more than 1 m across and 1 m high. Keep the permit at the burn site.

## Good to know

- Other permit conditions: fire at least 7.5 m from buildings and combustibles and 1.5 m from grass or shrubs; supervised at all times by someone at least 16 with equipment and water to put it out in five minutes; within 40 m of a point reachable by fire vehicles; only when the Ventilation Index is forecast "good" unless the Fire Chief directs otherwise.
- Open burning is also prohibited whenever the Fire Chief declares a burning-ban period or provincial fire-ban regulations apply. For current bans, check the Village's notices or ask Tahsis Fire Rescue at 250-202-9618.
- The 2019 sheet gives the permit fee as $30; confirm the current fee with the Village.
- No ticket amount is set. An offence is punishable under the Offence Act, and each day is a separate offence. The owner pays the Fire Department's costs of controlling an escaped or prohibited fire.
- No official page I read says where yard waste may go instead of burning.

## Official forms and pages

- [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 516, 2005 (PDF)](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/burning-bylaw-516.pdf)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-fire.md)
- [Gold River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/backyard-fire.md)
- [Sayward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/backyard-fire.md)
- [Alert Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/alert-bay/backyard-fire.md)
- [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/backyard-fire.md)
- [Port Hardy](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/backyard-fire.md)
- [Tofino](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/backyard-fire.md)

## Sources

- [Outdoor Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 516, 2005 (PDF), Village of Tahsis](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/burning-bylaw-516.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Open Burning Requirements information sheet, 2019 (PDF), Village of Tahsis](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/OPE-BURNING-REQUIREMENTS-3.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Burning prohibited reminder, April 2026 (PDF), Village of Tahsis](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/burning-prohibted-reminder-2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/fire-ban-2026.pdf](https://villageoftahsis.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/fire-ban-2026.pdf) (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 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Tahsis. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/backyard-fire/_