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

# Wells backyard fire and burning rules

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

**Short answer:** The District of Wells Fire Services Bylaw has no campfire, fire pit or burning permit rule. It lets the Fire Chief suspend all outdoor burning for public safety or air quality, and while it is suspended no one may do open burning in the District. Ask the Fire Chief before burning.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Wells, https://www.wells.ca)  
**Cost:** No permit or fee is stated.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Email: Fire Chief, Wells Volunteer Fire Brigade, firechief@wells.ca
- Phone: Fire Chief, Wells Volunteer Fire Brigade, 604-805-5366
- Phone: District Office, 250-994-3330

## Key facts

- **Backyard campfires:** None set. The District of Wells Fire Services Bylaw has no standing rule on campfires, fire pits or yard waste burning, and names no burning permit.
- **Burning yard waste:** None set. The District of Wells Fire Services Bylaw has no standing rule on campfires, fire pits or yard waste burning, and names no burning permit.
- **Permit:** None set. The District of Wells Fire Services Bylaw has no standing rule on campfires, fire pits or yard waste burning, and names no burning permit.
- **Fire bans:** The Fire Chief may suspend any or all outdoor burning for public nuisance or public safety, including air quality and risk of fire spread. While suspended, no one may carry on open burning within the District.
  - Source: [Fire Services Bylaw No. 142, 2015, s. 17.1](https://www.wells.ca/application/files/2615/9373/2772/Bylaw_No._142_2015_Fire_Services_Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The Fire Chief may, at his or her discretion, suspend any or all outdoor burning" … "no person shall carry on open burning within the District"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Instead of burning:** Trees, branches and dimensional lumber can go to the wood waste yard at the Wells Transfer Station, 10720 Barkerville Hwy.
  - Source: [Garbage and Recycling, Garbage page, Garbage](https://www.wells.ca/residents/garbage-recycling)
  - Official wording: "The Wells Transfer Station is located at 10720 Barkerville Hwy" … "The wood waste yard is for wood waste only, including trees, branches, and dimensional lumber"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** No ticket amount is stated. A person who breaks the Fire Services Bylaw commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to the penalties in the Offence Act; each day is a separate offence.
  - Source: [Fire Services Bylaw No. 142, 2015, s. 32.1](https://www.wells.ca/application/files/2615/9373/2772/Bylaw_No._142_2015_Fire_Services_Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "liable on summary conviction to the penalties provided for in the Offence Act" … "constitutes a separate offence"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** District of Wells Fire Services Bylaw No. 142, 2015
  - Source: [Fire Services Bylaw No. 142, 2015, s. 1.1](https://www.wells.ca/application/files/2615/9373/2772/Bylaw_No._142_2015_Fire_Services_Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as “Fire Services Bylaw No. 142, 2015”"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The District of Wells [Fire Services Bylaw No. 142, 2015](https://www.wells.ca/application/files/2615/9373/2772/Bylaw_No._142_2015_Fire_Services_Bylaw.pdf) has one outdoor burning section. It lets the Fire Chief suspend any or all outdoor burning for public nuisance or public safety, including air quality and risk of fire spread. While burning is suspended, no one may carry on open burning in the District. The bylaw gives no standing rule on campfires, fire pits, yard waste or brush piles, and it names no burning permit.

## Steps

1. Before you light anything, ask the Fire Chief at firechief@wells.ca or 604-805-5366 whether burning is allowed and whether a permit is needed.
2. Check for provincial wildfire bans through BC Wildfire Service.
3. Instead of burning, take trees, branches and dimensional lumber to the wood waste yard at the Wells Transfer Station, 10720 Barkerville Hwy.

## Good to know

- No page on wells.ca says where to check for a current suspension.
- The bylaw states no ticket amount. A person who breaks it is liable on summary conviction to the penalties in the Offence Act, and each day is a separate offence.
- Transfer station hours are not stated on the District page.

## Official forms and pages

- [Fire Services Bylaw No. 142, 2015 (PDF), District of Wells](https://www.wells.ca/application/files/2615/9373/2772/Bylaw_No._142_2015_Fire_Services_Bylaw.pdf)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-fire.md)
- [Quesnel](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/backyard-fire.md)
- [Williams Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/backyard-fire.md)
- [McBride](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mcbride/backyard-fire.md)
- [Prince George](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/backyard-fire.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/backyard-fire.md)
- [Valemount](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/backyard-fire.md)

## Sources

- [Fire Services Bylaw No. 142, 2015 (PDF), District of Wells](https://www.wells.ca/application/files/2615/9373/2772/Bylaw_No._142_2015_Fire_Services_Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Garbage and Recycling, District of Wells](https://www.wells.ca/residents/garbage-recycling) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fire Protection, District of Wells](https://www.wells.ca/residents/fire-protection) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 3 are recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Wells. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/wells/backyard-fire/_