All backyard fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, wood burning ovens, or Chimeneas, must meet Calgary’s Community Standards Bylaw for your safety and the safety of your neighbours.
- Fire pits should be built into the ground, on brick or stone, or in a fire-proof container.
- Portable fire pits on decks must be on brick or stone – not directly on a wooden deck.
- Fire pits must be at least two metres away from your property line, house, garage, or fence.
- Fire pits must not be under trees, branches, plants, or other flammable materials.
- Fires must be a reasonable size. 1 metre high and wide with a mesh screen or ‘spark guard’ to reduce the spread of embers and sparks. (Openings in the mesh screen must be less than 1.24 cm across.)
- Only burn clean, dry firewood. Not:
- Wood that is painted, treated, or contains glue or resin
- Wood from a different location, region, or province
- Wet or green/fresh cut wood
- Yard waste (cut grass or leaves)
- Garbage
- Rubber or plastic
- Furniture
- Have water close by to put out your fire.
- Fire pit must be continually supervised and may only be used between 10:00 am and midnight, Sunday to Thursday, or between 10:00 am and 1:00 am, Friday and Saturday.
Also, make sure no fire bans are in effect before starting a fire, and always remember – in case of an emergency – call 911 for help.
For more fire safety tips, visit https://www.calgary.ca/csps/fire/safety-tips/fire-safety-and-prevention.html.
