Fire and Rescue

What's new - open burning permits

Restrictions for open burning in the Central Okanagan are available for eligible property owners from West Kelowna Fire Rescue.

Permits holders can burn outdoors on days when both air quality and venting indices are good and must be completed by April 30, or unless conditions change.

Before lighting any fire, Central Okanagan permit holders can call the toll-free Outdoor Burning Hotline at 1-855-262-2876 (BURN) to confirm that burning is permitted on that day. Additionally, each morning an online outdoor burning indicator is updated at rdco.com/outdoorburning.

Those with a permit must also meet the Provincial Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation.

About West Kelowna Fire Rescue

West Kelowna Fire Rescue is dedicated to providing emergency response, fire prevention and protection and rescue services for City of West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation residents. The department also partners with fire and rescue services in other jurisdictions to help with regional, provincial and national emergencies, when required.

Bylaws

Four bylaws regulate burning, campfires, fees and charges, fire hydrants, fireworks and nuisance smoke:

Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 0093
City of West Kelowna Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw 0095
City of West Kelowna Fire Rescue Establishment and Operations Bylaw 0114
Smoke Control Regulatory Bylaw 773

Visit the bylaw page for a complete list of City of West Kelowna bylaws.

Campfires, fire pits, fireworks and open burning

Small campfires (45 centimetres in diameter)
Since Monday, Oct. 20, 2025 small campfires and open burning have again been permitted in the City of West Kelowna, until further notice.

Read the full news release.

Thank you for being FireSmart, West Kelowna!

Cigarettes, smoking and vaping
All smoking materials must be carefully extinguished. Motorists must not to throw cigarettes or other smoking materials from their vehicles. Smoking is not allowed in any City park or regional park.

Fireworks
Only professional public displays are permitted once a license has been obtained from the Fire Chief. Contact us for more information at 778-797-3200.

Open burning permits
Open burning season is typically from Oct. 1 to April 30, but local fire chiefs may shorten the season depending on the fire hazard rating.

To obtain a burning permit, call:

778-797-3200, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, excluding holidays.

For more information on open burning eligibility and conditions, please visit rdco.com/open burning.

Campfire Restrictions

Campfires:

Are NOT allowed when a campfire ban is in effect.
Must comply with provincial campfire regulations.
Require a nearby source of extinguishment, including a minimum of one hand tool or eight litres of water.
Must be continuously controlled and supervised by a competent person.
Must comply with City of West Kelowna Bylaw 0114 and Westbank First Nation Law 2005-11.
Will be investigated when West Kelowna Fire Rescue receives a complaint or observes concerning activity.
Must use seasoned firewood
Must not be used to burn yard waste, garbage and construction materials.
Must be extinguished if creating nuisance smoke, impacting environmental conditions, or using unseasoned firewood.

Permitted dimensions:

Fire pit diametre = 45 centimetres (1.5 feet max)
Circumference around fire pit = one metre (three feet of mineral soil)
Additional clearance circumference = 3.6 metres (12 feet)

Emergencies and wildfire preparedness

Call 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency or if you see smoke or a fire.

In the event of a wildfire or natural disaster, visit coemergency.ca for information on evacuation alerts and orders, emergency reception centre locations, and other important details including how to safely return to your home after a flood or wildfire.

Additional resources:

FireSmart Evacuation Checklist: A last-minute checklist for protecting your home and property from wildfire.
Wildfire preparedness guide: Learn about how to prepare your home and protect your property before a wildfire.

Fire Danger Rating

Fire danger ratings can change significantly during fire season. See West Kelowna's current rating.

To learn more about wildfire response in British Columbia, including a list of active fires, official danger ratings throughout the province and how to prevent forest and grass fires, visit BC Wildfire.

Firefighter Recruitment - Career and Paid On-Call

Looking for a challenging and rewarding career with West Kelowna Fire Rescue?

For available recruitment opportunities, visit westkelownacity.ca/jobs.

Fire Hall 32 Replacement

We've enhanced safety by replacing Fire Hall 32, while improving our parks and recreation infrastructure in Anders Park to support our active community.

Learn more at OurWK.ca/firestation32.

Fire House #30

Fire House 30 is West Kelowna Fire Rescue's administration building and is open to the public:

Call: 778-797-3200
Hours: 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday - Friday, excluding holidays
Location: 2406 Drought Road, West Kelowna, B.C. V4T 1P6

FireSmart - 2026 Local Grant Program Now Open

The 2026 Local Grant Program is open.

More information can be found here.

Did you know?

A well-maintained home, with a fire-resistant roof and a FireSmart immediate and Intermediate zone (zero to 10 metres from the home) is 90 percent more likely to survive a wildfire.

Regional Air Quality Program

Outdoor burning regulations provide residents greater protection from the impact of concentrated smoke.

To learn more about outdoor burning regulations, please visit the Regional District's outdoor burning website.

If you have questions or require more information, please contact the Regional Air Quality Program via email or by phone at 250-469-8408.