May 18, 2023 - Effective today at 12:00 noon PST, all open burning activities will be prohibited throughout the Coastal Fire Centre's jurisdiction. This prohibition is being enacted to help reduce wildfire risk and protect public safety. Therefore, the Spring Burning Season will end effective today and no further permits will be sold at this time.
Open wood burning is not permitted in urban areas in Pitt Meadows, according to Burning Regulation Bylaw No.2688. This includes outdoor fireplaces and cooking pits.
Propane and natural gas fires and barbeques are permitted.
Learn about:
Agricultural Burning Permits
Burning of vegetative matter is only allowed on agriculturally zoned properties with a permit per the City of Pitt Meadows Burning Regulation Bylaw No. 2688 in the spring and fall during the following dates:
- March 1 to May 31
- September 1 to November 30 - cancelled due to Coastal BC fire ban
You must call 604.436.6777 after 8:30 a.m. to listen to the Metro Vancouver open burning advisory on the day you wish to burn. Burning is only allowed when atmospheric conditions are favourable. Check the Metro Vancouver ventilation index, and follow the prompts to hear the day’s burning index.
Download a burn permit information sheet.
Who can apply for a burning permit
Only persons living on agricultural zoned properties can purchase a permit to burn. Check the zoning of your property online or contact City staff.
You must have written permission from the property owner, if you are purchasing a permit on their behalf.
Apply for a burning permit
Apply for a permit online or in person at City Hall reception Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Each permit costs $50.00 and is valid for five consecutive days.
There is no guarantee that you will be able to burn for all five days. This depends on the Metro Vancouver ventilation index each day. If you burn when not permitted by Metro Vancouver, you will be fined.
You are responsible for phoning Metro Vancouver at 604.436.6777 each morning before starting burning to check the ventilation index and confirm if burning is allowed for the day. If you are able to burn during any of the five days for which you have a permit, your permit will be considered used and will not be re-issued. You can receive a re-issue during the same burn season, if no burning was allowed during the five days for which your permit was issued.
What you can burn
The only items that you can burn are:
- tree wood,
- dead bushes
- crop clippings.
All materials burned must come from the land on which burning is taking place.
You cannot burn the following materials:
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Burn piles
The pile cannot exceed four cubic metres. You can only have one pile burning at a time. You cannot burn within 15 metres of any building structure, fence, hedge or overhead wire or cable. You cannot add any new fuel or wood to any burn pile between dusk and approximately 8:30 a.m. the following morning, when Metro Vancouver updates the ventilation index for the day.
Dispose of Yard Waste Safely
If you live in an area of Pitt Meadows that is not agriculturally zoned, you are not permitted to burn yard waste with a permit.
You can dispose of yard waste in these two ways:
- Purchase extra bag tags for $5 at City Hall (12007 Harris Road). Place them on your brown garden/yard waste bags. The City will collect up to two extra bags on your regular garbage/green waste service days.
- Drop off garden waste, leaves and branches at a local compost site for a fee.
Larger material and construction waste can be taken to the Maple Ridge Recycling and Residential Transfer Station (10092 - 236 Street Maple Ridge) Phone 604.466.1106. For information about recycling options phone 604-RECYCLE.
Indoor Residential Wood Burning Ban
Indoor Burning is regulated by Metro Vancouver. In order to protect the public from exposure to harmful wood smoke, Metro Vancouver currently prohibits the use of indoor wood burning appliances during the warm season (May 15 to September 15) with a few exceptions.
Read Metro Vancouver’s Residential Indoor Wood Burning Bylaw 1303, 2020.
For more information, please contact Pitt Meadows Fire & Rescue Service by email fire@pittmeadows.ca, or by phone 604.465.2401.