Wildfire legislation and regulations
Last updated on September 9, 2024
The Wildfire Act and Wildfire Regulation define the legal responsibilities and obligations to which everyone in British Columbia is subject. When the BC Wildfire Service places bans or restrictions in an area, the Wildfire Act and Regulation make them enforceable.
As such everyone in B.C. is expected to understand and abide by the Wildfire Act and Regulation. This legislation came into effect on March 31, 2005. Its key goal is to specify responsibilities and obligations on:
- Fire use
- Wildfire prevention
- Wildfire control
- Rehabilitation
On April 1, 2016, increased fines for a variety of wildfire-related violation tickets came into force. Read a summary of these fines.
Read the Act and Regulation:
Read other B.C. legislation:
- Forest and Range Practices Act
- Parks Act
- Environmental Management Act
- Hydro and Power Authority Act
- Forest Act
- Special Accounts Appropriation and Control Act
- Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation
- Annual Rent Regulation
- Emergency Program Management Regulation
BC Wildfire Service Policies
| Policy # | Last Modified |
|---|---|
| Policy 9.1 – Fire Control Responsibilities and Costs | Effective March 1, 2019 |
| Policy 9.5 Prescribed Fire and Resource Management Open fire | Effective April 1, 2018 |
| Policy 9.6 Fire Origin and Cause Investigations and Wildfire Legislation Enforcement | Effective April 21, 2023 |
| Effective July 16, 2012 | |
| Policy 9.9 - Compensation for Fire Control Damage | Effective October 18, 2021 |
| Policy 9.11 - Selection of a Weather Station for Representative Weather Data | Effective December 1, 2021 |
| Policy 9.12 - Open Fire | Effective March 31, 2024 |