Current Burn Status
Effective at 12 p.m. (noon) on Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Campfires are permitted in the Shawnigan Improvement District. A campfire is defined as 18″x18″ (0.5 meter by 0.5 meter). At no time can a campfire be left unattended.
Burning of yard and garden refuse is permitted in the Shawnigan Improvement District. This includes burn barrels and piles no greater than two meters in size and must be a safe distance from buildings, shrubs, trees or other flammable materials. Please be mindful of your neighbours.
No permit is required. The refuse is to be clean and dry, and in a condition that provides for safe and proper combustion. BURNING OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE, STUMPS, DEMOLITION MATERIAL, AND RUBBER OR PLASTIC IS NOT PERMITTED.
Check the venting index before lighting your fire, it must be good on the day of ignition. It can be viewed at: https://governmentofbc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html
This burning regulation remains in effect until further notice.
Enforcement
Enforcement of fire prohibitions is undertaken by:
- The Compliance and Enforcement Branch of the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development;
- The Conservation Officer Service; and
- The RCMP
All illegal fires will be investigated, and charges may be laid under the Wildfire Act or Wildfire Regulation, depending on the outcome of the investigation.
Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1-800-663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone.
