Village of Keremeos Burning Regulations

The Village of Keremeos permits the open burning of garden refuse and agricultural waste from October 16 to April 14. Only wood and plant matter may be burned. Care should be taken when open burning is undertaken; fires must not be left unattended at any time; water, soil or sand must be on hand to extinguish the fire; and flammable materials must be removed from a five-foot strip surrounding the fire.

Due to the semi-desert climate in this area, people are encouraged to burn only within the designated open burning time period. 

For further information, please get in touch with the Village directly.

RDOS Electoral Areas B & G - Burning Regulations

The burning regulations for areas outside of the Village of Keremeos (RDOS Areas B & G) are subject to the rules and regulations from the BC Wildfire Service (formerly known as the Ministry of Forest or Forest Services.)

The information below was copied from the Wildfire Service page on Open Burning.

Open burning—or burning outdoors—is allowed when the wildfire risk is low and can be useful when conducted responsibly. Even if there are no provincial open burning prohibitions in place, check with local government authorities for any other open burning restrictions.

British Columbia is a large and geographically diverse province. For that reason, decisions on when and where to implement fire bans and restrictions are made by B.C.’s six regional fire centres.

Multiple factors are considered when assessing wildfire hazards and deciding whether to implement an open fire prohibition, including current and forecasted weather conditions, the availability of firefighting resources and the Buildup Index (BUI).

Open burning includes Category 1 campfire, Category 2 and Category 3 open fire and Category 4 resource management open fire:

Campfires

A category 1 fire, or campfire, is defined as:

• Any fire no larger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide (a fire larger than this is considered a Category 2 fire).
• Used by any person for recreational purposes or by a First Nation for a ceremonial purpose.

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

Avoid having a campfire when it's windy; choose a proper fire pit or make a ring of rocks at least three metres from trees, shrubs, structures and debris, and do not leave a campfire unattended for ANY amount of time.

Open Fire - Backyard Burning

These are small fires for burning waste material not exceeding two meters in height and three meters in diameter. The accumulations are normally hand-piled. This type of burning is referred to as Category 2.

Category 2 open fire

This category refers to fires, other than a campfire, that burn:

• the material in one pile not exceeding 2 metres in height and 3 metres in width
• material concurrently in 2 piles each not exceeding 2 metres in height and 3 metres in width
• stubble or grass over an area that does not exceed 0.2 hectares.

All campfires and backyard burning must be extinguished before a person leaves the area of the fire.

Open Fire - Industry/Agricultural Burning

These are large open fires generally used for burning numerous large piles. 

Category 3 open fire

This category means an open fire that burns:

• material concurrently in 3 or more piles, each not exceeding 2 metres in height and 3 metres in width
• material in one or more piles, each exceeding 2 metres in height or 3 metres in width
• one or more windrows (row of cut hay or small grain crop)
• stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 hectares.

Large open fires are typically machine piles or windrows created to dispose of waste material. The requirements for safe burning vary based on the type of material to be burned, the distance from combustible material and the time of year the burn is scheduled. 

Open Fires for Resource Management Purposes

Burning that takes place for resource management activities such as forest health, wildlife habitat, hazard abatement, or silvicultural prescriptions falls into this group. 

Category 4 resource management open fire

This category refers to prescribed fire. Prescribed fire describes the deliberate use of fire to achieve a range of land stewardship objectives. It can help reduce the intensity of naturally occurring wildfires while returning an integral process to the land base.

These fires can take many months or even several years to plan, depending on the size, complexity and objectives the proponent is trying to achieve. 

Common objectives include:

• Public safety and wildfire risk reduction
• Improved wildlife habitat
• Revitalized vegetation and ecosystem health

You can learn more about prescribed fire in B.C. at prescribedfire.ca.  

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:

• Establish a fuel break around your Category 2 or 3 burns or fire guard around your campfire.
• Ensure someone always monitors 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. 
• Do not burn when venting conditions are "Poor" or "Fair"

Anyone 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 for a burn.

The Government of BC has produced pamphlets detailing safe practices and the regulations around open burning.  

• Backyard & Industrial Burning (PDF, 210KB) – Category 2 pamphlet
• Industrial & Resource Management Burning (PDF, 215KB) – Category 3 pamphlet
  To print a pamphlet, please select "Fit to Printable Area" in your printer settings.
• Open Burning Practices for Farmers and Ranchers (PDF, 2.1MB)

Regulations and fines

Responsible campfire use follows the British Columbia Campfire Regulations (PDF, 220KB).

Anyone found contravening 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/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. Read more about the Wildfire Act and Regulation.

Restrictions/Bans

During periods when forest fuels are dry (spring, summer or fall) and the danger of forest fires increases, the Wildfire Service may need to impose bans or restrictions on the use of fires. This action may be necessary to limit the risk of a forest fire starting or to address public health or safety concerns.

Reference number

Forest fire detection, suppression, and cause determination can be hampered if regulated fire locations are unknown. You are required to call toll-free: 1-888-797-1717 to obtain a reference number if your burning falls into the industrial/agricultural or resource management groups (categories 3-7).