Fire Permits and Bylaw

NEW BURNING RESTRICTION FOR SALT SPRING ISLAND

The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, and BC Wildfire Service have put into effect burning restrictions that include Salt Spring Island. (Effective March 26^th 2020 until further notice)

Open burning activities are prohibited throughout British Columbia to reduce the likelihood of human caused wildfires, although campfires will still be allowed at this time.
The following activities are prohibited, and these restrictions will remain in effect until the public is otherwise notified:

• Category 2 open fires; (Category 2 fires are Backyard Burn and Campfire on the Salt Spring Island Fire Permit on-line application)
• Category 3 open fires; (Category 3 fires are Machine Burn Pile on the Salt Spring Island Fire Permit on-line application)
• Resource Management open fires;
• the use of fireworks;
• the use of sky lanterns; and
• the use of burn barrels (Category 2 fire – Backyard Burn and Campfire – on the Salt Spring Island Fire Permit on-line application)

These open burning prohibitions will reduce demands on firefighting resources and help protect the health and safety of the public, as well as firefighters. They will also help reduce the impact of wildfire smoke on air quality and public health during the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Typically, human-caused fires are more common in the spring due to field and debris burning.  By enacting an earlier provincewide burning prohibition, the BC Wildfire Service anticipates a reduction in human-caused wildfires. This will minimize the need to deploy staff, which help to reduce their risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Click here for more information from the Provincial Wildfire Coordination Centre.

 

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We are pleased to offer the Salt Spring Island community the convenience of applying online for fire permits.

A few things to keep in mind prior to submitting your request:

• You must be one of the following
  • property owner
  • have a Power of Attorney from the property owner
  • Grant of Probate/Administration from the property owner
  • legal representative of a Strata or Corporation
• Please review the Salt Spring Island Fire Protection District Open Burning Bylaw No. 125
• Please review additional information on our Burning Regulations page.

 

ONLINE FIRE PERMIT APPLICATIONS

BACKYARD BURN & CAMPFIRE PERMIT

Use this permit for campfires, incinerators and backyard burns.

Validity of permit is a calendar year – January 1 to December 31, EXCEPT DURING FIRE BANS.

MACHINE PILE BURN PERMIT

Use this permit as the property owner or authorized third party for land clearing/machine pile burns.

Validity of permit is for a two (2) week period from date of issuance, EXCEPT DURING FIRE BANS, and subject to the Venting Index – which must indicate ‘GOOD‘ on the day the burn is initiated, followed by ‘GOOD‘ or ‘FAIR‘ on the next day.