Trail backyard fire and burning rules
Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in Trail?
Short answer
No. The City of Trail's Fire Safety and Prevention Bylaw bans all open burning and makes no exception for fire pits or campfires. The only exception is land-clearing burns with a Fire Service permit. Confirm with the fire service before using a fire pit, and use the City's yard waste collection instead.
Key facts
| Backyard campfires | Not allowed. The bylaw bans all open burning (smoke going directly to the air, other than a fireplace, stove or solid fuel appliance in a building) and makes no exception for fire pits or campfires. Only land-clearing burns with a Fire Service permit are allowed. Confirm with the fire service.Fire Safety and Prevention Bylaw No. 2335, 1996, s. 2, s. 12(1) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo person shall engage in open burning. the burning of material which results in the products of the combustion being emitted directly to the air and which is not contained within a domestic fireplace or stove or a solid fuel burning appliance |
|---|---|
| Burning yard waste | Not allowed. The only exception is open burning for land clearing under a Fire Service permit. The City's fall notice repeats that open burning is prohibited within city limits.Fire Safety and Prevention Bylaw No. 2335, 1996, s. 12, s. 14; Yard and Garden Waste Collection Fall 2026 Schedule, Fall 2026 notice · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo person shall engage in open burning. a person may conduct open burning for land clearing purposes under the authority of a permit issued by the Fire Service open burning remains prohibited within city limits |
| Permit | Only for land-clearing burns (a permit from the Fire Service) and fireworks displays. Fee not stated.Fire Safety and Prevention Bylaw No. 2335, 1996, s. 14, s. 20(3) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordinga person may conduct open burning for land clearing purposes under the authority of a permit issued by the Fire Service |
| Fire bans | None set. Trail's Fire Safety and Prevention Bylaw has no fire-ban provision because open burning is banned all year.Read: Fire Safety and Prevention Bylaw No. 2335, 1996 |
| Instead of burning | City yard and garden waste collection on days the City sets (fall 2026: Oct. 26 to Nov. 10), or the McKelvey Creek Regional Landfill at 1900 Highway 3B (tipping fees apply).Yard and Garden Waste Collection Fall 2026 Schedule, Fall 2026 notice; https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/green-bin-user-guide.pdf, Green bin guide, FAQ; Garbage & Recycling, Garbage & Recycling page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThe City of Trail has released its 2026 fall yard and garden waste collection schedule Landfill. Tipping fees apply. located at1900 Highway 3B in Trail |
| Fine | No ticket amount found. The bylaw sets the maximum penalty under the provincial Offence Act.Fire Safety and Prevention Bylaw No. 2335, 1996, s. 22 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingA person who contravenes the provisions of this bylaw commits an offence and is liable to the maximum penalty prescribed by the Offence Act. |
| Bylaw | Fire Safety and Prevention Bylaw No. 2335, 1996Fire Safety and Prevention Bylaw No. 2335, 1996, s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThis bylaw may be cited as the "Fire Safety and Prevention Bylaw No. 2335 , 1996". |
How it works
The City of Trail's Fire Safety and Prevention Bylaw No. 2335, 1996 bans open burning. Open burning means burning that sends smoke directly into the air, other than a fireplace, stove or solid-fuel appliance in a building. The bylaw makes no exception for fire pits or campfires, so they appear to be covered. It never names them, so confirm with the fire service before using one. The City's fall 2026 yard waste notice says open burning remains prohibited within city limits.
Good to know
- The only exception is open burning for land clearing, which needs a permit from the Fire Service. "Land clearing" means removing trees and plants to prepare property for subdivision. No permit fee is stated. The bylaw has no permit for backyard burning.
- The Fire Service may order any open fire put out and charge the cost.
- Yard waste instead: the City sets yard and garden waste collection days (fall 2026: October 26 to November 10; see the yard waste answer). Yard waste may not go in the green bin. You can also take it to the McKelvey Creek Regional Landfill, 1900 Highway 3B (tipping fees apply).
- The bylaw has no fire-ban provision because open burning is banned all year. The City's Police, Fire and Safety Services page links to current emergency alerts.
- No ticket amount found. The bylaw sets the maximum penalty under the provincial Offence Act.
- To report a neighbour's fire, call Bylaw Enforcement at 250-364-0833. For an uncontrolled fire, call 9-1-1.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Warfield · Rossland · Montrose · Fruitvale · Castlegar · Salmo
Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Fire Safety and Prevention Bylaw No. 2335, 1996, City of Trail (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
- Yard and Garden Waste Collection Fall 2026 Schedule, City of Trail (read 2026-11-06)
- Garbage & Recycling, City of Trail (read 2026-11-06)
- Police, Fire and Safety Services, City of Trail (read 2026-11-06)
- Bylaw Enforcement, City of Trail (read 2026-11-06)
- https://trail.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/green-bin-user-guide.pdf (read 2026-11-06)
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. How answers are checked.