Fire and Rescue

Campfire ban across the Central Okanagan

From the Regional District of Central Okanagan

Date of Issue: Monday, Oct. 20, 2025

Starting Monday, October 20, 2025 at noon, campfires and open burning will once again be permitted in most parts of the Central Okanagan due to the recent rains and cooler weather.

The campfire ban within local government fire jurisdictions in the Central Okanagan has been in place since August 28. With appropriate safety precautions to prevent the spread of fire, campfires are once again allowed within the Regional District of Central Okanagan fire protection areas (Ellison, Joe Rich, North Westside, Wilson’s Landing), the City of West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, the District of Lake Country and the District of Peachland. Campfires are not permitted at any time within the City of Kelowna.

If you are having a campfire, please:

Keep it attended at all times
Have tools and water on hand to contain the fire
Fully extinguish the fire before leaving

Open Burning Permits

Restrictions for open burning in the Central Okanagan will also be lifted and permits will be available for eligible property owners from their local fire service. 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/airquality.

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

Read the full news release.

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.

Fire Station #32 Replacement Project

We're enhancing safety in the Lakeview Heights neighbourhood by replacing Fire Station #32, while improving our parks and recreation infrastructure to support our active community.

Learn more about the project at OurWK.ca/firestation32.

Bylaws

Four primary bylaws relate to West Kelowna Fire Rescue operations and regulate such things as burning, campfires, fees and charges, fire hydrants, fireworks and nuisance smoke:

Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2010, No. 0093
City of West Kelowna Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 0095
City of West Kelowna Fire Rescue Establishment and Operations Bylaw 2010 No. 0114
Smoke Control Regulatory Bylaw No. 773

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

Campfires, fire pits, fireworks and open burning

Campfires
Effective Monday, Oct. 20, 2025 campfires and open burning will once again be permitted in most parts of the Central Okanagan.

Read the full news release.

Thank you for continuing to be 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
Opening burning permits are not currently available for eligible property owners. Open burning season is typically from Oct. 1 to April 30, but local fire chiefs may shorten the season in the interest of public health and safety.

To obtain a burning permit, during the season, call:

778-797-3200
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (excluding holidays), closed noon to 1 p.m.

For more information on open burning eligibility and conditions in the Central Okanagan, please visit the Regional Air Quality Program’s website at rdco.com/airquality.

Campfire Restrictions

Campfire Restrictions (dimensions shown below) for West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation fire protection areas:

Campfires are NOT allowed when a campfire ban is in effect.
When campfires are permitted, the campfire must comply with provincial campfire regulations.

A source of extinguishment must be nearby (minimum one hand tool or 8 litres of water).
The campfire must be continuously controlled and supervised by a competent person.
It must comply with City of West Kelowna Bylaw 0114 and Westbank First Nation law 2005-11.
If West Kelowna Fire Rescue receives a complaint, they will come out to investigate.
Only seasoned firewood is permitted. Burning of yard waste and construction material is prohibited.
Fires determined to be creating nuisance smoke due to environmental conditions, or unseasoned firewood, must be extinguished.

Fire pit = 1.5 foot max
Around fire pit = 3 feet mineral soil
You are required to have 12 feet of clear space around the circumference

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 cordemergency.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 House #30

Fire House #30 is open to the public for any inquiries related to West Kelowna Fire and Rescue Services.

Office information:

West Kelowna Fire Rescue - Administration Office
2406 Drought Road, West Kelowna, BC V4T 1P6
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday - Friday

Alternatively, staff can be reached at 778-797-3200.

FireSmart - 2025 Local Grant Program Now Open

The 2025 Local Grant Program is now 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

Our community cares about clean air. Outdoor burning regulations provide residents greater protection from the impact of concentrated smoke.

To learn more about outdoor burning regulations, please visit the Regional Air Quality 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.