Open burning
Open burning rules depend on whether you are inside the City of Courtenay or in the Courtenay Fire Protection District. Always check your location and follow the correct regulations.
Regulations within the City of Courtenay
Open burning is banned year-round within the City of Courtenay.
This ban is enforced under Fire Protective Services Bylaw No. 2556. It applies to all outdoor burning of materials, including:
- grass fires
- incinerator fires
- pit fires
- outdoor fireplaces and chimineas
- burning barrels
- forest and brush fires
- scrap wood fires
- running fires
- structure and building fires
- ground-thawing fires
- chattel fires
Wood-burning outdoor fires are not allowed at any time. However, outdoor cooking or heating appliances that use natural gas, propane or briquettes are permitted.
Regulations within the Courtenay Fire Protection District
Category 1 fires
Not permitted at any time.
This includes small campfires.
Category 2 fires
- Consist of a single pile no larger than 1 metre high by 1 metre wide.
- Must not include prohibited materials (such as garbage, tires, or construction debris).
- Must be burned during daylight hours only.
Permitted year-round under the bylaw. From April 1 to October 31, a permit is required unless a fire ban is in effect.
Category 3 fires
- Include one or more piles larger than 1 metre high or 1 metre wide.
- Must not include prohibited materials (such as garbage, tires or construction debris).
- Must comply with the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy’s Open Burning Smoke Control regulations.
Permitted with a fire permit.
Applying for a permit
To apply for a fire permit or ask questions, contact the Courtenay Fire Department.