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

# Williams Lake fireworks rules

**Question:** Are fireworks allowed in Williams Lake?

**Short answer:** In Williams Lake, fireworks may be set off only from October 24 to November 1, under the provincial Fireworks Act, which the City's Fire Bylaw makes part of itself. Using them at other times needs Fire Chief permission. The bylaw and the Act disagree on sale dates.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Williams Lake, https://www.williamslake.ca)  
**Cost:** Fireworks sales permit $200 (retailers). Bylaw notice $250 for selling without a permit ($190 if paid within 14 days; $315 if paid late).  
**Where:**
- Phone: City Hall, 250-392-2311

## Key facts

- **Setting off fireworks:** Under the Fireworks Act, which the Fire Protection and Control Bylaw makes part of itself (s. 601), no one may fire or set off fireworks except from October 24 to November 1. The Fire Chief may permit fireworks to be discharged at other times if safe (s. 604).
  - Source: [Fireworks Act, Fireworks Act s. 3, with s. 2(a)](https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96146_01)
  - Official wording: "Except between October 24 and November 1 in any year, a person must not sell, give, fire or set off fireworks." … "a municipality that, by bylaw, declares that this Act applies"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Selling fireworks:** Selling needs a fireworks sales permit and a valid business licence. The bylaw allows sales from October 24 to November 1 and December 19 to January 1 unless the Fire Chief permits other times, but the Fireworks Act, which the bylaw makes part of itself, allows selling only October 24 to November 1. (Sources differ: Fire Chief may allow sale or discharge at any other time of year (s. 604).)
  - Source: [Fire Protection and Control Bylaw No. 2189, 2013 (consolidated), Division Six, s. 602](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/58244)
  - Official wording: "No person shall possess, sell, or offer for sale any fireworks within the City, unless the"
  - Source: [Fire Protection and Control Bylaw No. 2189, 2013 (consolidated), Division Six, s. 603](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/58244)
  - Official wording: "the fireworks will be sold only between October 24 to November 1 and" … "from December 19 to January 1"
  - Source: [Fireworks Act, Fireworks Act s. 3](https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96146_01)
  - Official wording: "Except between October 24 and November 1 in any year, a person must not sell, give, fire or set off fireworks."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **What counts as fireworks:** The Fire Bylaw uses the Fireworks Act meaning, which includes cannon crackers, fireballs, firecrackers, mines, Roman candles, skyrockets, squibs, torpedoes and any other explosive designated by regulation. Sparklers are not named.
  - Source: [Fire Protection and Control Bylaw No. 2189, 2013 (consolidated), Division Six, definitions](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/58244)
  - Official wording: "has the same meaning as under the Fireworks Act."
  - Source: [Fire Protection and Control Bylaw No. 2189, 2013 (consolidated), Division Six, s. 601](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/58244)
  - Official wording: "The Fireworks Act, R.S.B.C. c. 146 forms part of this bylaw."
  - Source: [Fireworks Act, Fireworks Act s. 1](https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96146_01)
  - Official wording: "includes cannon crackers, fireballs, firecrackers, mines, Roman candles, skyrockets, squibs, torpedoes and any other explosive designated by regulation as a firework"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permit:** Setting off: no permit process for residents is stated; the Fire Chief may permit fireworks to be discharged at other times if safe (s. 604), and public displays need the local authority's written permission (Fireworks Act s. 5). Selling: sales permit from the Fire Chief to a business-licensed retailer, $200.
  - Source: [Fire Protection and Control Bylaw No. 2189, 2013 (consolidated), Division Six, s. 603](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/58244)
  - Official wording: "The Fire Chief or LAFC is authorized to issue a fireworks sales permit to any person for the" … "The person holds a valid business licence to carry on the business of retail sales of" … "the Fire Chief may permit fireworks to be sold or discharged at any time during the"
  - Source: [Fire Protection and Control Bylaw No. 2189, 2013 (consolidated), Division Six, Schedule A](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/58244)
  - Official wording: "DIVISION SIX - FIREWORKS Fireworks Sales Permits 601. The Fireworks Act, R.S.B.C. c. 146 forms part of this bylaw." … "Removal of Combustible Material by City Crew 428 Actual Cost Fireworks Sales Permits 601 200.00 More Than 1 Re-Inspection 701 150.00/Inspection"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $250 for selling fireworks without a sales permit ($190 if paid within 14 days; $315 late).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2196, 2013 (consolidated), Schedule A-8](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/61839)
  - Official wording: "Selling fireworks without a" … "Fireworks Sales Permit" … "$250.00" … "$190.00" … "$315.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Fire Protection and Control Bylaw No. 2189, 2013 (Division Six, Fireworks)
  - Source: [Fire Protection and Control Bylaw No. 2189, 2013 (consolidated), Division Six, s. 601](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/58244)
  - Official wording: "The Fireworks Act, R.S.B.C. c. 146 forms part of this bylaw."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Fire Protection and Control Bylaw](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/58244) (Division Six) makes the provincial [Fireworks Act](https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/9614) part of itself (s. 601). Under the Act, no one may fire or set off fireworks except from October 24 to November 1. The Fire Chief may permit fireworks to be discharged at other times if it is safe (s. 604).

The bylaw uses the Fireworks Act meaning of fireworks, which includes cannon crackers, fireballs, firecrackers, mines, Roman candles, skyrockets, squibs, torpedoes and any other explosive designated by regulation. Sparklers are not named.

## Setting off fireworks

- No permit process for residents is stated. Outside October 24 to November 1, ask the Fire Chief through City Hall (250-392-2311) before setting any off.
- Public displays need the local authority's written permission (Fireworks Act s. 5).
- No ticket for setting off fireworks was found in the City's fine schedule.

## Selling fireworks

Selling needs a fireworks sales permit from the Fire Chief ($200) and a valid business licence. The sale dates differ between the sources: the bylaw allows sales from October 24 to November 1 and December 19 to January 1 unless the Fire Chief permits other times, but the Fireworks Act, which the bylaw makes part of itself, allows selling only from October 24 to November 1. Ask the City which applies.

## Good to know

- Selling without a permit is a $250 bylaw notice ($190 if paid within 14 days; $315 if paid late).
- The City's copy of the bylaw is dated 2019; later changes, if any, were not seen. A 2016 amendment changed the sale dates.

## Official forms and pages

- [Fire Protection and Control Bylaw 2189 (consolidated PDF)](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/58244)
- [Fireworks Act (BC Laws)](https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/9614)

## Related questions

- [Williams Lake backyard fire and burning rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/backyard-fire.md)
- [Williams Lake bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fireworks rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fireworks.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/fireworks.md)
- [Quesnel](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/fireworks.md)
- [Lillooet](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/fireworks.md)
- [Ashcroft](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/fireworks.md)
- [Barriere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/fireworks.md)
- [Logan Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/logan-lake/fireworks.md)

## Sources

- [Fire Protection and Control Bylaw No. 2189, 2013 (consolidated), Division Six](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/58244) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Fireworks Act (BC Laws)](https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/9614) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2196, 2013 (consolidated), Schedule A-8](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/61839) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Services, City of Williams Lake](https://www.williamslake.ca/270/Bylaw-Services) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Fireworks Act](https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96146_01) (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 Williams Lake. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/fireworks/_