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

# Valemount backyard fire and burning rules

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

**Short answer:** In Valemount, a campfire is allowed without a permit from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. in a fire pit that meets the Open Air Burning Bylaw. Burning yard waste needs a permit from the Village Office. Neither is allowed during provincial fire restrictions.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Valemount, https://valemount.ca)  
**Cost:** Burning permit: $30 for yard waste piles up to 1 cubic metre (valid up to 30 days); $100 for land clearing piles over 1 cubic metre, up to 5 m across and 3 m high (valid up to 60 days). Fine: $150 for burning without a permit; $300 for illegal burning.  
**How long:** Yard waste permit valid up to 30 days; land clearing permit valid up to 60 days.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 735 Cranberry Lake Road, Valemount, BC V0E 2Z0 (Monday to Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., closed statutory holidays)
- Phone: Village Office (burning permits), 250.566.4435
- Online: Current fire bans (BC Wildfire Service, Prince George Fire Centre), https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status/prevention/fire-bans-and-restrictions/prince-george-fire-centre-bans
- Phone: Report a wildfire, 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 from a cell phone

## Key facts

- **Backyard campfires:** Allowed without a permit from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. in a fire pit at least 15 cm high and at most 60 cm by 60 cm and 60 cm high, 6 m from buildings, property lines, trees and fences. Brush or manufactured logs only; an adult watches it; extinguisher or hose on hand. Disallowed during provincial fire restrictions.
  - Source: [Open Air Burning Bylaw No. 703 (consolidated to March 22, 2021), s. 12.1](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/61413/)
  - Official wording: "An outdoor campfire may be operated without a permit between 7:00 am and 1:00am provided that:" … "There is a distance of not less than 6 meters between the fire pit and any" … "The fire is fully contained and controlled within the pit and does not exceed more than 60cm in height and 60cm in diameter;" … "A portable fire extinguisher or operable garden hose is available from the time" … "Fire pits will be disallowed if the Government of British Columbia issues open" … "The owner or occupier is eighteen years of age or older"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Burning yard waste:** Allowed only with a burning permit, required at all times of year. Only brush: limbs, branches, leaves, trimmings or raked grass. Piles no bigger than 1 m high and 1 m across. Not on poor-ventilation days, in winds over 20 km/h, during a provincial no-burn advisory, or within 100 m of any residence.
  - Source: [Open Air Burning Bylaw No. 703 (consolidated to March 22, 2021), s. 5.1, 5.5, 5.6, 6.2, 6.4, 6.6, 6.8, 7.1](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/61413/)
  - Official wording: "no person may start open air burning on a parcel of land unless the person holds a valid burn permit issued pursuant to Schedule A of this Bylaw." … "No material other than brush material, including tree limbs and branches, leaves, bush trimmings or raked grass shall be burned;" … "No open burning is permitted during winds greater than 20 kilometers per hour;" … "Within 100 meters of any residence at all times;" … "No burning materials shall be added to a fire after 1700 hours (5:00 p.m.)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit:** Get a burning permit from the Village Office during regular business hours. Fees: yard waste piles up to 1 cubic metre (valid up to 30 days) $30; land clearing piles over 1 cubic metre, up to 5 m across and 3 m high (valid up to 60 days) $100.
  - Source: [Open Air Burning Bylaw No. 703 (consolidated to March 22, 2021), s. 5.2](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/61413/)
  - Official wording: "Any person wishing to start open air burning shall first obtain a permit from the Village Office during regular business hours."
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 869, 2023, Schedule A (Administration Fees, Burning Permit)](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/96759/)
  - Official wording: "Yard waste piles no larger than 1 cubic $30.00" … "meter - valid up to 30 days" … "Land clearing piles larger than 1 cubic $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fire bans:** Burning permits are void, and fire pits are disallowed, while the Province bans open fires or campfires. The Village follows provincial prohibitions. Check the BC Wildfire Service Prince George Fire Centre bans page.
  - Source: [Open Air Burning Bylaw No. 703 (consolidated to March 22, 2021), s. 10(c), 12.1(h)](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/61413/)
  - Official wording: "All burning permits issued will be considered null and void if the Government of British Columbia bans open fires, and/or campfires in Valemount’s jurisdiction." … "Fire pits will be disallowed if the Government of British Columbia issues open fire or campfire restrictions"
  - Source: [Campfire Ban Rescinded, Village of Valemount (news post, August 1, 2024), News post, Aug 1, 2024](https://valemount.ca/campfire-ban-rescinded/)
  - Official wording: "The Village of Valemount follows provincial prohibitions"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Instead of burning:** Yard and garden waste is accepted free at the Valemount Regional Transfer Station (leaves, grass and hedge clippings, plants, branches up to 75 mm in diameter). The Village also runs a curbside spring clean-up that takes yard waste.
  - Source: [Valemount Regional Transfer Station, Regional District of Fraser-Fort George, Yard and garden waste](https://www.rdffg.ca/ValemountRegionalTransferStation)
  - Official wording: "Yard and garden waste are also accepted free of charge at the site for composting including:" … "shrub and tree branches up to 75 mm (3 in) in diameter"
  - Source: [Campfire Ban Rescinded, Village of Valemount (news post, August 1, 2024), News post, Aug 1, 2024](https://valemount.ca/campfire-ban-rescinded/)
  - Official wording: "Branches and other yard waste can be disposed of at the transfer station."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: burning without a permit $150 ($120 if paid within 14 days, $180 late); illegal burning $300 ($240 early, $360 late).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement and Dispute Adjudication System Bylaw No. 698 (consolidated June 4, 2026), Schedule A, Open Air Burning Bylaw, s. 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6 to 9, 12](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/96801/)
  - Official wording: "Failure to obtain a 5.1, 5.2 No $150.00 $120.00 $180.00 n/a" … "Illegal burning 5.3, 6, No $300.00 $240.00 $360.00 n/a"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of Valemount Open Air Burning Bylaw No. 703, 2016 (consolidated to March 22, 2021, with Bylaw No. 771)
  - Source: [Open Air Burning Bylaw No. 703 (consolidated to March 22, 2021), s. 1.1](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/61413/)
  - Official wording: "Village of Valemount Open Air Burning Bylaw No. 703, 2016."
  - Source: [Open Air Burning Bylaw No. 703 (consolidated to March 22, 2021), Consolidation notice](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/61413/)
  - Official wording: "CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE ONLY AS OF MARCH 22, 2021."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Open Air Burning Bylaw No. 703](<https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/61413/>) allows two kinds of fire in Valemount. Campfires in a fire pit need no permit. Open burning of yard waste needs a burning permit at all times of year. The Village follows provincial prohibitions: burning permits are void, and fire pits are disallowed, whenever the Province bans open fires or campfires.

## Steps

1. Check the BC Wildfire Service Prince George Fire Centre bans page before you light anything.
2. For a campfire: use a fire pit at least 15 cm high and no more than 60 cm by 60 cm and 60 cm high. Keep it 6 m from buildings, property lines, trees and fences.
3. For yard waste: get a burning permit from the Village Office during regular business hours.

## Good to know

- Campfires: 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., brush or manufactured logs only, an adult watching, and an extinguisher or hose on hand.
- Open burning: brush only (limbs, branches, leaves, trimmings, raked grass), in piles no bigger than 1 m high and 1 m across. Not in winds over 20 km/h, on poor-ventilation days, during a provincial no-burn advisory, or within 100 m of any residence. Also 8 m from any building, structure, fence or hedge.
- Land-clearing piles carry extra conditions, and the permit holder must contact the Ministry of Environment about burning procedures.
- Yard and garden waste is accepted free at the Valemount Regional Transfer Station, and the Village runs a curbside spring clean-up.
- Bylaw notice: burning without a permit $150 ($120 if paid within 14 days, $180 late); illegal burning $300 ($240 early, $360 late).
- The Village's notice says violating provincial campfire rules could cost $1,150 plus firefighting costs. That is a provincial penalty, not a Village fine.

## Official forms and pages

- [Open Air Burning Bylaw No. 703 (consolidated to March 22, 2021) (PDF), Village of Valemount](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/61413/)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 869, 2023 (PDF), Village of Valemount](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/96759/)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement and Dispute Adjudication System Bylaw No. 698 (consolidated June 4, 2026) (PDF), Village of Valemount](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/96801/)
- [Campfire Ban Rescinded, Village of Valemount (news post, August 1, 2024)](https://valemount.ca/campfire-ban-rescinded/)
- [Valemount Regional Transfer Station, Regional District of Fraser-Fort George](https://www.rdffg.ca/ValemountRegionalTransferStation)

## Related questions

- [Valemount fireworks rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/fireworks.md)
- [Valemount yard waste collection and drop-off](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/yard-waste.md)
- [Valemount noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/noise-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-fire.md)
- [McBride](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mcbride/backyard-fire.md)
- [Clearwater](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/backyard-fire.md)
- [Wells](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/wells/backyard-fire.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/backyard-fire.md)
- [Barriere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/backyard-fire.md)
- [Williams Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/backyard-fire.md)

## Sources

- [Open Air Burning Bylaw No. 703 (consolidated to March 22, 2021) (PDF), Village of Valemount](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/61413/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 869, 2023 (PDF), Village of Valemount](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/96759/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement and Dispute Adjudication System Bylaw No. 698 (consolidated June 4, 2026) (PDF), Village of Valemount](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/96801/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Campfire Ban Rescinded, Village of Valemount (news post, August 1, 2024)](https://valemount.ca/campfire-ban-rescinded/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Valemount Regional Transfer Station, Regional District of Fraser-Fort George](https://www.rdffg.ca/ValemountRegionalTransferStation) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 7 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Valemount. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/backyard-fire/_