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DeutschCampfires are BANNED across the Vancouver coast right now. The Coastal Fire Centre prohibited Category 1, 2 and 3 open fires from noon on July 16, 2026 — that covers Metro Vancouver, the Sea-to-Sky, the Fraser Valley and most of Vancouver Island. Exceptions where small campfires (Cat 1) remain legal: Campbell River, North Island / Central Coast, Haida Gwaii and Sunshine Coast forest districts. Bans change with the weather — verify the live status here before striking a match.
🗺 Where fires are ever legal (and where they never are)
All City of Vancouver parks and beaches — English Bay, Kits, Third Beach, Stanley Park: no open fires, no charcoal on the sand, ever (propane only, in designated picnic areas). Same story in most North Shore and Burnaby municipal parks. Fireworks and sky lanterns are banned city-wide.
Provincial campground fire rings: Porteau Cove (oceanfront, 40 min), Alice Lake (Squamish), Golden Ears (Maple Ridge), Cultus Lake (Chilliwack) — in the metal rings only, usually with firewood sold on site. Most private campgrounds follow the same rule. Crown land: Category 1 fires allowed outside prohibition periods with the full ruleset below.
CSA/ULC-rated propane fire bowls with the flame kept under 15 cm — the workaround every BC camper owns. Also legal: camp stoves for cooking, and propane BBQs in designated areas. When even these are pulled (extreme danger), the ban notice says so explicitly.
📏 The Category 1 rules — when fires are allowed
1 · Max 0.5 m high × 0.5 m wide — a knee-high fire, not a bonfire. One per group.
2 · Clear a 1-metre fireguard down to mineral soil around it.
3 · Keep a hand tool or ≥8 litres of water within reach the whole time.
4 · Never leave it unattended — not for a beer run, not for ten minutes.
5 · Out means cold to the touch: drown it, stir the ashes, drown it again.
6 · Check wind: if it's strong enough to carry embers, don't light at all.
💸 What it costs to get this wrong
| Campfire during a prohibition (violation ticket) | $1,150 |
| Court-imposed penalty under the Wildfire Act | up to $100,000 + 1 yr jail |
| If your fire escapes and becomes a wildfire | full suppression costs + damages |
| City of Vancouver fire-bylaw violations (beach/park fires) | bylaw fine, per Fire By-law |
Enforcement is not theoretical: BC has issued ~$30–48k in campfire tickets over single long weekends. Report a wildfire or illegal fire: *5555 from a cell or 1-800-663-5555.
❓ Campfires around Vancouver — FAQ
Can I have a fire on a Vancouver beach?
No. Open fires and beach fires are prohibited on all City of Vancouver beaches and in all city parks, year-round — this includes charcoal barbecues on the sand. Propane appliances are allowed only in designated picnic areas. Fire wardens and park rangers do patrol English Bay and Kits on summer evenings.
Where is the closest place to legally have a campfire?
When no ban is in effect: the metal fire rings at frontcountry provincial campgrounds — Porteau Cove, Alice Lake, Golden Ears, Cultus Lake — and most private campgrounds. During a Category 1 prohibition (like the one that began July 16, 2026 for the coast) even those rings go cold, and only CSA/ULC-rated propane fire bowls with a flame under 15 cm remain legal.
What is the fine for a campfire during a ban in BC?
A violation ticket is $1,150 on the spot. If it goes to court, penalties run up to $100,000 and up to a year in jail — and if your fire escapes, you can be billed for the full cost of fighting the wildfire. Enforcement is real: BC hands out tens of thousands of dollars in campfire tickets over single long weekends.
What counts as a legal campfire when fires are allowed?
Category 1: max half a metre high by half a metre wide, one fire per group, cleared to soil in a 1-metre fireguard, with a hand tool or at least 8 litres of water beside it. Never leave it unattended, and it must be cold to the touch before you walk away.
Plan the rest of the night out there
Check the live BC wildfire map before any backcountry trip, book sites through the camping guide (summer weekends vanish in minutes), and if the ban kills the bonfire — the city's night is a decent consolation prize.