Skip to Content

Regional District of Central Okanagan Logo Regional District of Central Okanagan Logo

Contact Us
  • Living here
    Living here
    • Alarm permits
    • Building permits and inspections
    • Bylaws
    • Citizen survey
    • Community events and programs
    • Dog licences and control
    • Emergency management
    • Fire protection
    • Maps and GIS
    • Protective services
    • Property taxes
    • Report issues and request services
    • Roads, parking and sidewalks
    • syilx / Okanagan people
    • Utility billings
    • Waste and recycling
    • Water and environmental services
    • Your say RDCO

    QuickLinks

    • Buy/renew dog license
    • Park & facility booking
    • Pay bills online
    • Waste pick up schedule & maps
  • Parks and trails
    Parks and trails
    • Attend nature programs and events
    • Book a facility or park
    • Book an educational program
    • Community halls
    • Ice rinks
    • Park and trail directory
    • Park donations
    • Park planning and resources
    • Park use and regulations
    • Parks calendar
    • Parks newsletter
    • Robert Hobson Environmental Education Centre for the Okanagan
    • Sports courts
    • syilx / Okanagan partnerships
    • Volunteer in parks

    QuickLinks

    • Park & facility booking
  • Environment
    Environment
    • Air quality
    • Climate action
    • Outdoor burning
    • Transportation
    • Waste and recycling
    • Water and environmental services

    QuickLinks

    • Waste pick up schedule & maps
  • Business and land use
    Business and land use
    • Alarm permits
    • Bid opportunities and purchasing
    • Building permits and inspections
    • Business licences
    • Business waste
    • Economic development
    • Maps and GIS
    • Official community plans
    • Planning and land use
    • Planning applications
    • Regional growth strategy
    • Starting a business
    • Zoning

    QuickLinks

    • Business licences
    • Building permits and inspections
    • Planning applications
  • Your government
    Your government
    • A-Z services
    • Agendas and minutes
    • Alternative Approval Process
    • Bid opportunities and purchasing
    • Billing and payments
    • Boards, committees and commissions
    • Board policies
    • Budgets and financial statements
    • Bylaws
    • Contact us
    • Departments
    • Elections
    • Electoral areas
    • Freedom of information
    • Job postings
    • News and notices
    • Planning and land use
    • Plans, reports and studies
    • Regional Board
    • Report issues and request services
    • What we do
    • Your say RDCO

    QuickLinks

    • Agendas and minutes
    • Board policies
    • Budgets & financial plans
    • Regional Board

How Do I...

  • Apply and register
    • Alarm permit
    • Business licence
    • Building permit
    • Dog licence
    • Facility or park rental
    • Job posting
    • Planning applications
  • Buy and pay
    • Alarm permit
    • Business licence
    • Bylaw
    • Dog licence
    • Property taxes
    • Utility bill
  • Find and view
    • Agendas and minutes
    • Annual review
    • Budgets and financial statements
    • Emergency management
    • Maps
    • News and notices
    • Waste pick up schedule
  • Get involved and volunteer
    • Boards, committees and commissions
    • Paid-on-call fire fighter
    • Volunteer in parks
  • Report and request
    • Bylaw complaint
    • Found or lost dog
    • Freedom of information
    • Missed curbside collection
    • Open burning complaint
    • Park issue
    • Weeds complaint
  • Sign up for
    • Emergency notifications
    • News
    • Park programs and events
    • Parks newsletter

Outdoor burning

HomeEnvironmentOutdoor burning
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

The Central Okanagan's climate often sees hot, dry summers which increase the risk of interface wildfires. The RDCO has burning regulation bylaws covering Electoral Area East and Electoral Area West (Fire Prevention and Regulations | Bylaw No. 1066 and Smoke Control Regulatory | Bylaw No. 773). These bylaws ensure a safe and healthy outdoor/open burning season, which generally runs from October 1 to April 30, depending on weather and conditions. The City of Kelowna, City of West Kelowna, District of Lake Country and District of Peachland have bylaws for properties within their boundaries. 

For open outdoor burning, residents must:

  • have a property greater than 1 hectare (2.47 acres)
  • obtain a valid burning permit their local fire service
  • meet all requirements of the Province of BC's Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation
  • follow best practices for burning
  • check current conditions on the day they want to burn

Residents who burn without a permit or break the rules of their permit may be subject to fines up to $2,000 or be charged with the cost of putting out the fire by their fire service.

 

Current conditions

April 3, 2025 - the Regional Board passed a bylaw amendment to the  to adjust the minimum venting index from 65 to 55. This aligns with the Province of BC's Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation. Eligible property owners should check with their local fire service for venting index requirements for their particular property.

Current conditions are updated daily at approximately 8 a.m. and are shown below. The conditions can also be accessed by calling the Outdoor Burning Hotline 1-855-262-2876.

For Central Okanagan Electoral Area East and Electoral Area West, open burning is only permitted when the venting index is 55 or greater, and particulate matter (PM2.5 – 24 hr) concentration is less than 15 µg/m3.

Burn status legend:

  • Green - Burning is permitted. 
  • Yellow - Burning may be permitted, depending on location.
  • Red - Burning is not permitted. Check alternatives to burning. 
  • Gray - Burning is not permitted. Data may not be available. 

 

How to get a burning permit

Local fire departments issue burning permits and each department enforces its own bylaw regulations. Residents can apply for a permit through their local fire department. 

Property locationBurning permit process
Central Okanagan East Electoral Area and
Central Okanagan West Electoral Area

Regional District of Central Okanagan

Phone: 250-469-6223

City of Kelowna

Kelowna Fire Department

Walk-in only. Fees apply.
2255 Enterprise Way (Main hall, Station 1)

City of West Kelowna

West Kelowna Fire/Rescue

Phone: 778-797-3200

District of Lake Country

District of Lake Country

Apply online for a burning permit online

District of Peachland

Peachland Fire and Rescue Service

Phone: 250-767-2841

 

Report illegal burning

If you suspect someone is burning without a permit or the specific local fire and smoke control requirements are not met, call the regional fire dispatch 250-469-8577 immediately.

Anyone burning without a local burning permit or breaking the rules of their permit may be subject to fines up to $2,000 or be charged with the cost of putting out the fire by their fire service.

 

More resources

Alternatives to open burning

There are a number of alternatives to open burning. All residents, farmers and orchardists are encouraged to take advantage of other options such as chipping, flail mowing, or air curtain burning to help reduce smoke pollution in the Central Okanagan.

Alternatives

  • Bi-weekly curbside yard waste collection
  • Yard waste drop off – available at the Glenmore Landfill and Westside Residential Waste Disposal and Recycling Centre (Asquith Road in West Kelowna) - fees apply
  • Clean air alternatives to open burning 
  • Alternatives to minimize smoke 
  • Free agricultural chipping program - free service for Central Okanagan orchardists who want to chip wood waste material from an orchard. This type of debris typically includes stumps and large branches (a large volume of wood)
  • Mow-Chip Rent-it Rebate Program – qualifying participants must have a property one hectare or greater in size with a small volume of wood for fuel reduction and/or agricultural activities that can't be served through the regular Agricultural Chipping Program
  • Air Curtain Burning uses forced air to burn wood faster and with less smoke. Contact your local fire department to learn more about forced air incineration options for agricultural or land clearing wood waste. Check the OBSCR Factsheet – Air Curtain Incinerators.
  • A number of private companies offer wood chipping and grinding services or rent portable chippers. Some may also pick up yard waste for disposal. We recommend searching for: stump grinding, wood chipping contractors, chipper rental, flail mower rental, etc.

Best practices

After you have considered alternatives to burning to minimize the amount of wood to be burned, have applied for and received a valid open burning permit, please follow these Open Burning Best Practices and check out the Clean Air Alternatives to Open Burning.

Some best practices include:

  • Burn piles must be attended by an adult until extinguished.
  • On the day you want to burn, check venting conditions on this page or call the Open Burning Hotline (1-855-262-2876) to ensure that burning is permitted.
  • Start burning only after 10 a.m. when venting conditions allow.
  • Prunings and small branches must be dry before burning.
  • Piles must be less than 3 m by 3 m and 2 m high to reach proper dryness and ensure a controlled fire.
  • Branches 10 cm or greater in diameter should be dry for at least two years. Or have 30% or less moisture content (you must keep a record of wood pile moisture content).
  • Check wind direction to keep smoke away from neighbours.
Campfires, residential fire pits and other wood burning appliances

What's the difference between campfires and open outdoor burning?

  • Campfires are generally small in size and used solely for cooking, lighting or warmth in a camping or recreational setting.
  • Open outdoor burning requires a permit and is for disposal of large permitted vegetative wood debris.

 

Unless a prohibition is in place, small campfires are permitted within the RDCO fire service areas in Ellison, Joe Rich, North Westside and Wilson's Landing as well as by the City of West Kelowna, District of Lake Country and District of Peachland. Check with your local fire department for any additional regulations, permits or fire bans.

Campfires and outdoor wood burning appliances are not permitted in the City of Kelowna, including fire pits, woodstoves, chimneys, and other appliances unless conditions are met as outlined in Bylaw 10760. You can use an outdoor appliance in the City of Kelowna if the appliance is CSA/ULC, CGA approved (or equivalent) and is fueled by natural gas, propane, gel or charcoal.

  1. Always check if there is a campfire ban in place for the Central Okanagan by any local authority or fire ban or restrictions by BC Wildlife in other regions.
  2. Always check the Fire Danger Rating to make an informed decision before lighting a fire. Fire danger ratings indicate how easily fires can start and spread in an area.

Different restrictions are in place for other municipalities in the Central Okanagan, so please check your local bylaws. If you are uncertain or have questions, please speak with your local fire department to see if campfires or wood burning appliances are allowed and if permits/special conditions are required.

  • City of Kelowna Bylaw 10760 – no wood campfires allowed
  • City of West Kelowna Bylaw 0114 – wood campfires allowed, no permit required
  • District of Lake Country Bylaw 612 – wood campfires allowed, no permit required
  • District of Peachland Bylaw 1718 – wood campfires allowed, permit required
  • Regional District Fire Protection Areas and Smoke Control bylaws 773 and 1066 – wood campfires allowed, no permit required
  • Westbank First Nation Bylaw 2005-11 – wood campfires allowed, no permit required

In order to prevent health issues or any other problems, it is recommended that campfires should be avoided during poor air quality conditions. This is when:

  • The Okanagan venting index is less than 34 and/or
  • Particulate matter (PM2.5- 24hr) is 15 µg/m3 or greater

Illegal materials

It is illegal to burn prohibited materials, including, but not limited to:

  • Garbage
  • Compostable materials (e.g. leaves, grass clippings)
  • Vegetative debris resulting from land cleared for a different use (e.g. farmland to residential development)

Provincial Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation

The BC Government's Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation divides the province into three smoke sensitivity zones: high, medium and low zones. The Central Okanagan region is within the “high sensitivity zone” and many requirements apply.  See the Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation Factsheet - Burning in a High Smoke Sensitivity Zone.

These include, but aren't limited to:

  • That efforts have been made to reduce the amount of vegetative debris to be burned through alternative methods of reducing, reusing and recycling
  • Open burning setbacks prohibiting burning near hospitals, health care facilities, schools and neighbouring properties. This online setback map was created as an education tool so residents can make an informed decision when applying for a burning permit. Type your address and follow the steps to verify setbacks
  • Use this checklist for open burning and air curtain burning before burning. This fillable checklist is intended for guidance only to help residents comply with applicable OBSCR requirements. 
  • The provincial regulation applies to all branches or other pieces of vegetative debris, with or without leaves, and is 10 cm or greater in diameter
  • Use alternatives to burning if the pile is less than 10 cm in diameter

Property owners are responsible for meeting provincial requirements and should email the OBSCR directly for more information. 

If using an Air Curtain incinerator, contact your local fire department to get a permit and check the OBSCR Factsheet – Air Curtain Incinerators.

Non-compliance to requirements of the provincial Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation that exceed local bylaws will be enforced by the province and are stricter than local bylaws. Enforcement by the province is managed via reporting to the provincial Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline 1-877-952-7277.

If the situation is not an emergency, report the incident online to RAPP or contact the nearest Conservation Officer Services.

  • Outdoor burning
  • View full environment menu
    • Air quality
      Toggle Section Air quality Menu
      • Air quality concerns
      • Clean air strategy
      • Current air quality
      • Lawn Swap
      • Outdoor burning
      • Radon testing
      • Safe routes 4 schools
      • Smoke control bylaw
      • Vehicle idling
      • Wood heating
      • Wood waste disposal
    • Climate action
    • Transportation
    • Waste and recycling
    • Water and environmental services
      Toggle Section Water and environmental services Menu
      • Mosquito control
      • Septic systems
      • Sewer system
      • Utility billings
      • Water advisory notifications
      • Water rate estimator
      • Water rates
      • Water systems
      • Westside regional wastewater treatment plant
      • What not to flush

Contact us

Fire Services
1450 KLO Road
Kelowna, BC V1W 3Z4

Phone 250-469-6223
Send email to Fire Services
Map to this location

Subscribe to this page

Regional District of Central Okanagan footer logo

Regional District of Central Okanagan

1450 KLO Road
Kelowna, BC, V1W 3Z4
Phone: 250-763-4918
Email Us

Open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Links

  • A-Z services
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Statement
  • Freedom of information
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us
  • Website Feedback

The RDCO acknowledges our presence on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded tm̓xʷúlaʔxʷ (land) of the syilx / Okanagan people who have resided here since time immemorial. We recognize, honour, and respect the syilx / Okanagan lands upon which we live, work, and play.

© Copyright 2025 Regional District of Central Okanagan

Designed by eSolutionsGroup

Browser Compatibility Notification

It appears you are trying to access this site using an outdated browser. As a result, parts of the site may not function properly for you. We recommend updating your browser to its most recent version at your earliest convenience.