White Rock backyard fire and burning rules

Can I have a backyard fire or burn yard waste in White Rock?

White Rock, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

No. White Rock bans open-air fires of any kind, including wood campfires and fire pits. The only exception is an approved portable appliance fuelled by propane, natural gas or charcoal. Burning yard waste or household waste is never allowed. The ticket is $150.

Key facts

Backyard campfires	No wood campfires or fire pits: open-air fires of any kind are banned. The only exception is a fire in an approved portable appliance designed to be fuelled by propane, natural gas or charcoal. No size rules are given.Fire Protection and Safety Bylaw 2014, No. 2057, s. 5.1; Beach Fires and Open-Air Burning, Beach Fires & Open-Air Burning · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording No person shall at any time start, light, ignite or burn any fire of any kind in the open air specifically designed to be fueled by propane, natural gas or charcoal. open air, except where such fire is contained within an approved portable appliance or device that has been specifically designed to be fueled by propane, natural gas or White Rock has a bylaw that prohibits open-air burning, including beach fires.
Burning yard waste	Not allowed. No one may burn residential waste, including household waste and yard materials, indoors or in the open air under any circumstances.Fire Protection and Safety Bylaw 2014, No. 2057, s. 5.2(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording A person must not burn residential waste, including. without limitations, household waste and yard materials, indoors or in the open air under an circumstances.
Permit	No burning permit for ordinary backyard burning. Only fires for special circumstances approved in advance in writing by the Fire Chief are excluded from the ban.Fire Protection and Safety Bylaw 2014, No. 2057, s. 5.1(c) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording fires for special circumstances and approved in advance in writing by the Fire Chief
Fire bans	The City bans open-air burning all year, so no seasonal ban notice applies; up to $1,150 fine during a Provincial fire ban. Provincial bans are posted on the BC Wildfire Service Fire Prohibitions and Restrictions page (gov.bc.ca).Beach Fires and Open-Air Burning, Beach Fires & Open-Air Burning; Fire Bans and Restrictions, BC Wildfire Service, Current prohibitions and restrictions · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording a minimum fine of $150, and a fine of up to $1,150 during a Provincial fire ban. Even if there are no provincial open fire prohibitions in place, always check with local government authorities for any other open fire restrictions.
Instead of burning	Yard trimmings go in the weekly curbside organics collection (Green Can, kraft paper bags, or tied bundles of twigs and branches up to 75 mm thick). Excess can go to Central Surrey Recycling and Waste Centre, 6711 154 Street, Surrey (604-681-5600) or Revolution Resource Recovery, 19500 56th Avenue, Surrey (604-539-1900).Solid Waste Bylaw 2015, No. 2084, s. 25, s. 27; Organics and Food Scraps, Alternate Recycling Facilities · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording organic waste containers, comprised of either compostable paper yard waste bags, bundles of twigs, or plastic or metal garbage cans with lids. Twigs and small branches up to 3 inches (75 mm) in diameter each can be tied in bundles Central Surrey Recycling and Waste Centre, 6711 – 154 Street, Surrey, BC V3S 7C6, 604-681-5600 Revolution Resource Recovery, 19500 56th Avenue, Surrey, BC V3S 6K4, 604-539-1900
Fine	Outdoor burning: $150. Burning residential waste: $150. Under the Fire Protection and Safety Bylaw general penalty: $150 first offence, $500 second, $1,000 third and later.Ticketing for Bylaw Offences Bylaw 2011, No. 1929 (consolidated), Schedule B16; Beach Fires and Open-Air Burning, Beach Fires & Open-Air Burning · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Conduct of Persons 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 and 3.5 $150.00 Outdoor Burning 5.1 $150.00 Residential Burning 5.2 (a) and (b) $150.00 Outdoor Burning 5.1 $150.00 Residential Burning 5.2 (a) and (b) $150.00 Accumulation of 5.3 (a), (b) or (c) $150.00 Securing Fire Damaged or 5.9.1 $150.00 Vacant Buildings Offences and Penalties 8.1 $150.00, first offence, $500.00, second offence, $1000.00, third or subsequent Vacant Buildings Offences and Penalties 8.1 $150.00, first offence, $500.00, second offence, $1000.00, third or subsequent offence Open-air burning can result is a minimum fine of $150
Bylaw	Fire Protection and Safety Bylaw, 2014, No. 2057Fire Protection and Safety Bylaw 2014, No. 2057, s. 12 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Fire Protection and Safety Bylaw, 2014, No. 2057.

How it works

The Fire Protection and Safety Bylaw 2057 bans open-air fires of any kind in White Rock. That covers wood campfires and fire pits. The one exception is a fire in an approved portable appliance designed to be fuelled by propane, natural gas or charcoal. No size rules are given. Fire training, fires needed for public safety, and fires approved in advance in writing by the Fire Chief are not counted as open-air fires. There is no permit for ordinary backyard burning.

No one may burn residential waste, including household waste and yard materials, indoors or in the open air under any circumstances.

Good to know

Yard trimmings go in the weekly curbside organics collection: Green Can, kraft paper bags, or tied bundles of twigs and branches up to 75 mm thick. Curbside service only reaches properties zoned One, Two or Three Unit Residential. The City's organics page lists Green Cans and kraft paper bags and does not mention bundles, while the bylaw allows them.
Extra yard waste can go to Central Surrey Recycling and Waste Centre, 6711 154 Street, Surrey (604-681-5600) or Revolution Resource Recovery, 19500 56th Avenue, Surrey (604-539-1900).
Tickets: $150 for outdoor burning and $150 for burning residential waste. Under the bylaw's general penalty the amounts are $150, $500, then $1,000. The City's burning page says up to $1,150 during a Provincial fire ban. Confirm with Fire Rescue.
The City bans open-air burning all year, so no seasonal notice applies. Provincial bans are posted on the BC Wildfire Service fire prohibitions page at gov.bc.ca.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Surrey · Langley City · Township of Langley · Delta · New Westminster · Burnaby

Backyard fire and burning rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Fire Protection and Safety Bylaw 2014, No. 2057 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Beach Fires and Open-Air Burning, City of White Rock (read 2026-11-05)
Fire Bans and Restrictions, BC Wildfire Service (read 2026-11-05)
Ticketing for Bylaw Offences Bylaw 2011, No. 1929 (consolidated) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Solid Waste Bylaw 2015, No. 2084 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Organics and Food Scraps, City of White Rock (read 2026-11-05)

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