Warfield backyard fire and burning rules
Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in Warfield?
Short answer
In Warfield, a backyard campfire needs an annual Residential Campfire Permit ($25) from the Village office. Open burning, including burning yard waste, is strictly prohibited. Permits can be suspended during fire bans.
Key facts
| Backyard campfires | Yes, with an annual Residential Campfire Permit. Fire in a fire pit or ring no wider than 0.5 m, 3 m from trees, shrubs, structures and debris. An adult (19 or older) must stay until it is out. Keep 8 litres of water or a hose ready. No fire in wind. Clean firewood only.Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 948, 2024, lead sheet and signed bylaw, Residential Campfire Permit information sheet · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingYou must apply for and be issued a Residential Campfire Permit before you proceed with campfire burning must have a diameter no larger than 0.5m and must be located three (3) meters from trees, shrubs, structures, and debris An adult (19 years or older) must be in attendance at the campfire until it is fully extinguished Only clean firewood is permitted. |
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| Burning yard waste | No. Open burning, including burning yard waste and hazardous waste, is strictly prohibited. The solid waste bylaw also bans disposing of garbage, recyclables or waste by burning.Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 948, 2024, lead sheet and signed bylaw, Information sheet; Solid Waste and Yard and Garden Waste Collection and Disposal Bylaw No. 968, 2025, s. 6.4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingOpen burning, including the burning of yard and hazardous wastes is strictly prohibited. No person shall dispose of garbage, recyclable materials, waste, special waste or unacceptable |
| Permit | Yes. A Residential Campfire Permit, applied for each year (January 1 to December 31), with a $25 fee, from the Village office. The application needs a diagram of the fire pit; Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue reviews it. The permit must be posted at the fire.Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 948, 2024, lead sheet and signed bylaw, Information sheet; Permits & Licenses, Permits & Licenses page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingA Residential Campfire Permit must be applied for annually (January 1-December 31). Complete the Residential Campfire Permit form and submit it along with the $25.00 application fee to the Village office. your Residential Campfire Permit will be referred to, and reviewed by the must be posted and visible at the location of the fire at all times at a cost of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) from the Village Municipal office prior to having a campfire |
| Fire bans | Permits depend on fire conditions and any bans or restrictions set by Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue and by provincial or federal law. Permit holders must check BC Wildfire Service Southeast Fire Centre bans and restrictions before lighting. A permit can be suspended or rescinded if a ban is in effect.Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 948, 2024, lead sheet and signed bylaw, Information sheet · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingcontingent on current fire conditions and any fire bans, must refer to and become familiar with BC Wildfire Services, Southeast Fire Centre current fire bans and restrictions before igniting the campfire rescind or suspend any permit issued if a fire ban is in effect |
| Instead of burning | Seasonal curbside yard and garden waste pick-up, bi-weekly, with start and end dates set by the Village; use bins or paper yard waste bags, no plastic bags. See yard-waste.Solid Waste and Yard and Garden Waste Collection and Disposal Bylaw No. 968, 2025, s. 9.1; Curbside Pickups, Curbside Pickups page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingwill provide annual yard and garden waste collection and disposal services to Residential Dwelling Premises on a bi-weekly schedule Use bins or paper yard waste bags. No plastic bags will be picked up. |
| Fine | Not confirmed. The penalty schedule is in a scanned part of the bylaw PDF that could not be read. |
| Bylaw | Village of Warfield Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 948, 2024Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 948, 2024, lead sheet and signed bylaw, Information sheet · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingVillage of Warfield Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 948, 2024 |
How it works
In Warfield, the Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 948 allows a campfire only with an annual Residential Campfire Permit. Open burning, including burning yard waste and hazardous waste, is strictly prohibited. The Solid Waste and Yard and Garden Waste Bylaw No. 968 also bans disposing of garbage, recyclables or waste by burning.
Steps
- Apply at the Village office for the permit ($25, January 1 to December 31). The application needs a diagram of the fire pit; Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue reviews it.
- Post the permit at the fire.
- Use a fire pit or ring no wider than 0.5 m, 3 m from trees, shrubs, structures and debris. Burn clean firewood only, and do not light a fire in wind.
- An adult (19 or older) must stay until the fire is out. Keep 8 litres of water or a hose ready.
Good to know
- Permits depend on fire conditions and on any bans or restrictions set by Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue and by provincial or federal law. Check the BC Wildfire Service Southeast Fire Centre bans and restrictions before lighting. A permit can be suspended or rescinded if a ban is in effect.
- Instead of burning yard waste, use the seasonal bi-weekly curbside yard and garden waste pick-up. See the yard waste answer.
- The information sheet says a breach may lead to a penalty set out in Schedule A of Bylaw 948. That schedule is in the scanned part of the PDF, so the amount could not be confirmed; ask the Village Office at 250-368-8202.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Trail · Rossland · Montrose · Fruitvale · Castlegar · Salmo
Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 948, 2024, lead sheet and signed bylaw (PDF), Village of Warfield (read 2026-11-08)
- Permits & Licenses, Village of Warfield (read 2026-11-08)
- Solid Waste and Yard and Garden Waste Collection and Disposal Bylaw No. 968, 2025 (PDF), Village of Warfield (read 2026-11-08)
- Curbside Pickups, Village of Warfield (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. How answers are checked.