Burn Authorization applications are required for the following fire protection areas: Kaleden, Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Anarchist, and Willowbrook. Residents within these five fire protection areas are required to complete a Burn Authorization application. There is no fee and no permits will be issued. Your request will be directed to your selected fire department. From that point, you will be dealing directly with your local fire department.

CLICK HERE to access the Burn Authorization application

CLICK HERE to access the Public Parcel Viewer (select FireDistrictBoundary in the Layer List)

Locations outside the Fire District Boundary are under the jurisdiction of the Province of B.C.

The RDOS is reminding residents to review burning regulations before completing the Burn Authorization application. It’s important for property owners to consider their neighbours and the environment before burning. You may want to look at other options such as chipping or taking material to the landfill.

If your property is outside one of these fire protection service areas, please contact your Municipality or the Ministry of Forests at 1-888-797-1717 to obtain an open air burning permit. Report illegal burning to your local fire authority or R.A.P.P. (Report All Poachers & Polluters) 1-877-952-7277.

Burning authorization holders must confirm burning is allowed on that day by checking the Air Quality and Venting Index. Call 250-490-4125.

CLICK HERE to view today's Venting Index

The Okanagan Valley and Similkameen Valley often experience weather systems called inversions. An inversion makes the airshed susceptible to the build-up of air contaminants that impact human health, visibility, and the environment.

Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Bylaw No. 2898, 2020
A bylaw to regulate open burning within the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Fire Protection Areas. 

CLICK HERE to view the bylaw

If you are planning to burn a Category 3 fire, you are required to apply for a burn registration number from the province by calling 1-888-797-1717.

All Category 3 fires must be approved in advance by the local fire department within your jurisdiction.

A Category 3 defined as any of the following:

• 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, none of which exceed 200 metres in length or 15 metres in width
• Stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 hectares

Open burning
Unsure if you need to register your burn? Want to know what your legal obligations are when open burning? Learn more about open burning in B.C. at www2gov.bc.ca.

Please note all requests for approval for open burning may be subject to a site inspection by the Fire Chief. 

72-hour wait time
Approval can take up to 72 hours. You may not burn before the 72-hour period with about specific approval.