Many Calgarians enjoy having an outdoor fire. Ensure your fire meets Calgary’s Community Standards bylaw regulations for your safety and enjoyment, as well as your neighbours.
Remember, always check www.calgary.ca/firebans to ensure no fire bans are in effect.
Fire Pit Safety
- Fire pits must be at least two metres away from your property line, house, garage, or fence.
- Fire pits must NOT be under any trees, branches, plants or other materials that can catch fire.
- All fires in your fire pit must be kept to a reasonable size; 1 metre high and wide. A mesh screen or ‘spark guard’ is now required in order to reduce the spread of embers and sparks from wood-burning fire pits. The openings in the mesh screen must not be greater than 1.24 cm across.
- Only burn clean, dry firewood. Do NOT burn:
- 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 (put cut grass and leaves in your green cart for composting)
- Garbage
- Rubber or plastic
- Furniture
- Always have a way to put out the fire close to your fire pit. Easy options are your watering hose or a bucket of water.
- All fires in your fire pit must be continually supervised.
Fire Pit Hours
Fire pits may only be used:
- Between 10 a.m. and midnight, Sunday – Thursday; or
- Between 10 a.m. and 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday.
The bylaw includes fines for unsafe fires and burning prohibited materials, so it pays to understand the bylaw. For more information, visit Calgary.ca/firepits. If you have a concern or complaint about fire pits, call 311. If a fire is out of control, call 9-1-1.
