---
title: West Kelowna fireworks rules
question: "Are fireworks allowed?"
place: West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/west-kelowna
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of West Kelowna
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/fireworks/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/fireworks.json"
---

# West Kelowna fireworks rules

**Question:** Are fireworks allowed?

**Short answer:** No, not for residents. In West Kelowna only professional public fireworks displays are permitted, and only with the Fire Chief's written permission. Selling fireworks in the City is banned, and exploding fireworks in a City park without a permit is banned.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of West Kelowna, https://www.westkelownacity.ca)  
**Cost:** No fee is stated in Bylaw 0114 or the Fees and Charges Bylaw.  
**Where:**
- Phone: West Kelowna Fire Rescue, 778-797-3200 (8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, excluding holidays.)

## Key facts

- **Setting off fireworks:** No for residents. The City says only professional public displays are permitted. The bylaw lets a person or organization set off fireworks only for a public display held with the Fire Chief's written permission.
  - Source: [Fire and Rescue, Fireworks](https://www.westkelownacity.ca/city-services/fire-and-rescue/)
  - Official wording: "Only professional public displays are permitted once a license has been obtained from the Fire Chief."
  - Source: [Fire Rescue Establishment and Operations Bylaw No. 0114 (consolidated), s. 35.2](https://www.westkelownacity.ca/media/vaslba0b/0114-fire-rescue-establishment-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Fireworks may be exploded by any person or organization conducting a public" … "display in the City of West Kelowna if such public display is held with the written" … "permission of the Fire Chief"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Selling fireworks:** No. No one may sell or dispose of fireworks to any person within the City.
  - Source: [Fire Rescue Establishment and Operations Bylaw No. 0114 (consolidated), s. 35.1](https://www.westkelownacity.ca/media/vaslba0b/0114-fire-rescue-establishment-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall sell or dispose of fireworks to any person within the City of West"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **What counts as fireworks:** Fireworks as defined in Class 7.2.1 and 7.2.2 of the Canadian Explosives Act (the bylaw's definition).
  - Source: [Fire Rescue Establishment and Operations Bylaw No. 0114 (consolidated), s. 3](https://www.westkelownacity.ca/media/vaslba0b/0114-fire-rescue-establishment-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Fireworks - means those fireworks as defined in Class 7.2.1 and 7.2.2 of the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permit:** For a public display only: written permission from the Fire Chief (West Kelowna Fire Rescue, 778-797-3200). The person in charge must hold a current licence from Natural Resources Canada's Explosives Regulatory Division.
  - Source: [Fire Rescue Establishment and Operations Bylaw No. 0114 (consolidated), ss. 35.2, 35.3](https://www.westkelownacity.ca/media/vaslba0b/0114-fire-rescue-establishment-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "permission of the Fire Chief, who may give permission if the said person or" … "The person supervising or otherwise responsible for the public display must hold a" … "current licence issued by Explosives Regulatory Division"
  - Source: [Fire and Rescue, Fireworks](https://www.westkelownacity.ca/city-services/fire-and-rescue/)
  - Official wording: "Contact us for more information at 778-797-3200."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Selling or disposing of fireworks $500. Exploding fireworks without the Fire Chief's permission $250. Public display supervisor without the required licence $250. Exploding material in a City park without a permit $250. Bylaw notice and municipal ticket amounts are the same.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 0093 (consolidated), Bylaw 0093, Schedule 7](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/n4hdhy3i/b0093-bylaw-dispute-adjudication-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "35.1 Sell/Dispose Fireworks $500.00" … "35.2 Explode Fireworks Without Fire Chief Permission $250.00" … "35.3 Fail to Hold a Licence to Explode Fireworks $250.00"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 0095 (consolidated), Bylaw 0095, Schedule 7](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/dz1mghbc/b0095-municipal-ticket-information-utilization-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "35.1 Sell/Dispose Fireworks $500.00" … "35.2 Explode Fireworks Without Fire Chief Permission $250.00"
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 0093 (consolidated), Bylaw 0093, Schedule 12](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/n4hdhy3i/b0093-bylaw-dispute-adjudication-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Explode material 3.5 c) $ 250.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** City of West Kelowna Fire Rescue Establishment and Operations Bylaw 2010 No. 0114 (s. 35); Parks and Public Spaces Bylaw No. 0184, 2015 (parks).
  - Source: [Fire Rescue Establishment and Operations Bylaw No. 0114 (consolidated), s. 1](https://www.westkelownacity.ca/media/vaslba0b/0114-fire-rescue-establishment-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "City of West Kelowna Fire Rescue Establishment" … "and Operations Bylaw 2010 No. 0114."
  - Source: [Parks and Public Spaces Bylaw No. 0184 (consolidated), s. 3.5 c)](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/l2abqrpd/b0184-parks_and_public_spaces-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person may fire or explode any combustible or explosive material, including" … "fireworks, in a Park or Public Space without a Permit."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

In West Kelowna, [Fire Rescue Establishment and Operations Bylaw No. 0114](https://www.westkelownacity.ca/media/vaslba0b/0114-fire-rescue-establishment-consolidated.pdf) (s. 35) lets a person or organization set off fireworks only for a public display held with the Fire Chief's written permission. The City says only professional public displays are permitted. No one may sell or dispose of fireworks to any person within the City. "Fireworks" means those in Class 7.2.1 and 7.2.2 of the Canadian Explosives Act. The bylaw does not name sparklers or firecrackers.

## Steps

1. To hold a public display, contact West Kelowna Fire Rescue at 778-797-3200 for the Fire Chief's written permission.
2. The person in charge must hold a current licence from Natural Resources Canada's Explosives Regulatory Division.

## Good to know

- The bylaw sets no dates or hours for resident fireworks, and no permit route for consumer fireworks.
- In City parks, no one may explode fireworks or other explosive material without a permit (Parks and Public Spaces Bylaw No. 0184).
- Fines: selling or disposing of fireworks $500; exploding fireworks without the Fire Chief's permission $250; a display supervisor without the required licence $250; exploding material in a City park without a permit $250. A bylaw notice and a municipal ticket are the same amount.
- No fee for a display permission is stated in the sources read. Ask Fire Rescue.

## Official forms and pages

- [Fire Rescue Establishment and Operations Bylaw No. 0114 (PDF)](https://www.westkelownacity.ca/media/vaslba0b/0114-fire-rescue-establishment-consolidated.pdf)
- [Parks and Public Spaces Bylaw No. 0184 (PDF)](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/l2abqrpd/b0184-parks_and_public_spaces-consolidated.pdf)

## Related questions

- [West Kelowna backyard fire and burning rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/backyard-fire.md)
- [West Kelowna bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fireworks rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fireworks.md)
- [Peachland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/fireworks.md)
- [Lake Country](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/fireworks.md)
- [Summerland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/fireworks.md)
- [Penticton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/fireworks.md)
- [Vernon](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/fireworks.md)
- [Coldstream](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/fireworks.md)

## Sources

- [Fire and Rescue, City of West Kelowna](https://www.westkelownacity.ca/city-services/fire-and-rescue/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Fire Rescue Establishment and Operations Bylaw No. 0114 (consolidated) (PDF)](https://www.westkelownacity.ca/media/vaslba0b/0114-fire-rescue-establishment-consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Parks and Public Spaces Bylaw No. 0184 (consolidated) (PDF)](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/l2abqrpd/b0184-parks_and_public_spaces-consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 0093 (consolidated) (PDF)](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/n4hdhy3i/b0093-bylaw-dispute-adjudication-consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 0095 (consolidated) (PDF)](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/westkelownacity-ca/media/dz1mghbc/b0095-municipal-ticket-information-utilization-consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of West Kelowna. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/fireworks/_