Backyard Burning - Fire pits and Burn Barrels
Burning in your Backyard
Within municipal areas (Towns, Villages and Hamlets) in Beaver County the burning of debris is not permitted. Municipal residents are allowed to construct a fire pit or an approved burning device after obtaining a permit from the Beaver Emergency Services Commission. Approved fire pits or burning devices are to be used only for recreational purposes and/or for cooking food. The materials to be burned are restricted to "clean", untreated wood. No paper, leaves, yard trimmings or garbage may be burned.
Construction guidelines are available here or at the Beaver Emergency Services offices.
Apply online for a permit to construct a fire pit.
Applications for a permit to construct a burning device are available for no charge either online or from the Beaver Emergency Services Commission offices. Call 780-336-3041 for more information. A FIre Permit is not required to burn wood in an approved burning device.
Open burning in your backyard or burning in a device that has not been issued a permit can result in penalties from $500.00 to $5000.00.
Burning in Rural Areas
Outside of municipal areas, Beaver Emergency Services Commission allows the use of burning barrels, but only for the disposal of BURNABLE DEBRIS, as defined by the Alberta Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act. Properly prepared burn barrels with a mesh screen do not require a fire permit. More information on burning barrels is available here or at the Beaver Emergency Services offices.
B.E.S.C. does not sanction the burning of household garbage, which contains PROHIBITED DEBRIS, as defined by the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act.
Beaver Emergency Services Commission cannot, through a By-Law, regulate or control the burning of prohibited debris as it is covered by the Provincial Act. B.E.S.C. does not have the authority to enforce the Alberta Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act.
"Burnable Debris" means all inflammable waste other than prohibited debris and includes but is not limited to:
- straw and stubble
- grass and weeds
- leaves and tree prunings
- wooden materials, which do not contain wood preservatives, from the construction or demolition of buildings
- brush and fallen trees on newly cleared land or associated with logging operations
- used power, telegraph and telephone poles
- solid waste from sawmills or planing mills with an annual production of less than 9500 cubic metres of lumber
- that do not contain wood preservatives
- solid waste from post and pole operations that does not contain wood preservatives
- solid waste from tree harvesting operations
"Prohibited Debris" means any inflammable waste that, when burned, may result in the release of the atmosphere of dense smoke, offensive odours, or toxic substances and includes but is not limited to:
- animal manure
- pathological waste
- non-wooden material
- waste material from building or construction sites, excluding wooden materials that do not contain wood preservatives
- rubber or plastic, or anything containing or coated with rubber or plastic or similar substances, except rubber or plastic attached to shredded scrap steel
- combustible material in automobile bodies
- solid waste from sawmills or planing mills with an annual production in excess of 9500 cubic metres of lumber
- tires
- used oil
- wood or wood products containing substances for the purpose of preserving wood
Complaints regarding offensive odours from the burning of prohibited debris should be directed to ALBERTA ENVIRONMENT POLLUTION CONTROL, 1-800-222-6514
