Open Air Burning Permits

Burning inside the NRRM Fire Protection Area

Northern Rockies Fire Rescue issue burn permits (subject to weather and other restrictions) to anyone burning in our Fire Protection Area. Burn Permits are available free of charge from the Northern Rockies Fire Rescue between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday to Friday (except statutory holidays). Call us if you have questions - some may be answered in the Province of BC open burning regulation poster at the bottom of the page.

The Fire Chief or his designate may issue a permit for open air burning of brush, stumps, slash, and light material resulting from the clearing of land (under the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation, no burning of construction material or debris is permitted), and for campfires in designated recreational areas.

Open Fire Regulations: Campfires, Category 2 fires and Category 3 fires: What's the Difference?

Before you burn

Before lighting a fire, even if the burn category is not currently prohibited, ensure you are properly prepared, aware of the conditions and following open burning regulations:

  1. Establish a fuel break around your Category 2 or 3 burn or fire guard around your campfire.
  2. Ensure someone is always monitoring the fire so it doesn't spread beyond its intended size. At least one person equipped with a fire-fighting hand tool must monitor the fire at all times. 
  3. Do not burning when venting conditions are "Poor" or "Fair"
  4. Tar, asphalt, shingles, battery boxes, plastic materials or any similar materials which produce heavy black smoke are not used in the fire
  5. Use of oils of grades 4 or lighter used as propellants for open air burning of brush, bush, stumps, or slash and light materials, where such materials are necessary to ignite or sustain the burning shall be the absolute minimum required and to the satisfaction of the Fire Chief
  6. A competent person is placed and kept at all times in charge or the fire while it is burning or smouldering, and sufficient appliances and equipment are available to prevent the fire from getting beyond control, or causing damage and becoming dangerous;
  7. OR the burning is authorized by permit under the BC Waste Management Act or is exempt under the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation.

NRRM Burning Permit application

The Government of BC has produced a series of pamphlets which detail safe practices and the regulations around open burning. *To print a pamphlet, please select "Fit to Printable Area" in your printer settings.

Burning outside the NRRM Fire Protection Area

Anyone burning outside of the NRRM Fire Protection Area or lighting a Category 3 fire must first obtain a burn registration number by calling 1.888.797.1717. These numbers are logged into the Open Fire Tracking System (OFTS) along with details about the registered burn.

Unsure if you need to register your burn? Want to know what your legal obligations are when open burning? Learn more about registering a burn.

These regulations do not apply to:

  • Small and confined fires used for cooking foods, including grills and barbecues
  • necessary municipal burning, or
  • necessary Fire Rescue department burning

Regulations and fines

Responsible campfire use follows the campfire regulations (PDF, poster). 

Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs. Violators could also be held responsible for damages to Crown resources, which could be significant.