Burn Permits

How do I apply for a Burn Permit on Bowen Island?

Changes have been made to the way Burn Permits are issued on Bowen Island. To receive a Burn Permit, these steps must be followed:

1. Determine if your property is eligible for open burning. Use BowMap to locate your property and use the measuring tool to verify that your chosen burn location meets the required distance setbacks. Metro Vancouver requires that the burn location must be at least 100m from buildings on neighboring properties and 500m from the property lines of hospitals, schools and community care facilities. If your burn location does not meet the setback requirements you are ineligible for a Burn Permit and should not apply.
   
2. Obtain burn authorization from Metro Vancouver Open Burning Authorization and Registration | Metro Vancouver.
   
3. Apply for a Bowen Island Municipality Category Two or Category Three Burn Permit. To do this, you will need your Metro Vancouver registration number that you will have received in Step 2. If you did not receive a registration number as part of Step 2, please contact Metro Vancouver.
   
4. Wait for the Fire Chief to verify the eligibility for your burn pile location.
   
5. Once the Fire Chief has determined your property to be eligible for an open burning permit you will be contacted via email and required to make a payment. On receiving payment your permit will be issued by the Fire Chief.
   

Types of open burning

Category 1 (campfires)

A campfire is defined as an open fire that burns piled materials no larger than 0.5m in height by 0.5m in width and is used for recreational purposes e.g. cooking or warmth. Only dry wood is permitted. You do not need a permit to have a campfire.

So can I have a campfire? Campfires are restricted based on Fire Danger Rating. Check the Fire Danger Rating before lighting a campfire.

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Category 2 (burn barrels/hand stacked burn piles)

A Category 2 fire is defined as one to two concurrently burning piles no larger than 2m high by 3m wide. A Category 2 fire requires permits, which are only issued between October 15 and April 15. Category 2 fires are not permitted at any other time.

Metro Vancouver Authorization Requirements for Category 2 fires:

Before you light a Category 2 fire you must first register under Metro Vancouver’s Open Burning Emission Regulation Bylaw No. 1355 using the Open Burning Registration System. You will not be able to apply for a Bowen Island Municipality Burn Permit without first registering your property under Bylaw 1355 with Metro Vancouver.

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Category 3 (land clearing or other major burning)

A Category 3 fire is defined as a major, usually machine stacked fire that is larger than 2m high by 3m wide, or more than two piles of less than 2m high by 3m wide that are burning concurrently. A Category 3 fire requires permits, which are only issued between October 15 and April 15. Category 3 burns are not permitted at any other time.

Metro Vancouver Authorization Requirements for Category 3 fires:

Anyone lighting a Category 3 fire must first obtain Open Burning Approval under Metro Vancouver’s Air Quality Management Bylaw No. 1082. Bowen Island Municipality will not accept a Category 3 Burn Permit application without the Burn Registration Number received from Metro Vancouver.

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Open burning complaints

If you have a safety concern about an open burn on a neighbouring property, you can call Bowen Island Fire-Rescue at 604-947-9324 and leave a message; the number is monitored and messages requiring a response will be answered.

If your concern is about air quality, please make an air quality complaint to Metro Vancouver at
604-436-6777.

Reference

BIM Fire Protection and Emergency Plan Bylaws

Metro Vancouver Open Vegetative Burning Bylaws

Frequently Asked Questions?