Smoke Control Bylaw
Air quality is a community effort and is endorsed by the Regional Board. Link
to Air Quality Information. In order to ensure our air quality
is as good as it can be the Regional District of Central Okanagan has enacted a
bylaw to reduce the emissions from open burning, campfires and wood burning appliances.
It regulates when and how smoke from fires can be produced. The Regional Smoke Control
Bylaw No. 773 also provides some respite to those bothered by nuisance smoke. The
bylaw is enforced by complaint only and applies to the Electoral Areas of the Regional
District, the City of Kelowna and Westside District Municipality and through separate
bylaws enacted and enforced by the District of Lake Country.
Click here to view a consolidated version of Smoke Control Bylaw No. 773.
This electronic version of the bylaw is provided for convenience only and is not
to be considered the legal document. For more information please contact the Inspection
Services Section.
Outdoor Burning
The outdoor burning season is regulated in the Central Okanagan East and Westside
Electoral Areas in part by the
Regional Fire Prevention and Regulations Bylaw No. 1066 which is provided
in a consolidated, electronic format for convenience only. Member municipal
governments have similar regulations, which empower local fire chiefs with determining
the open burning season. The open burning season runs from October 1st
(changed May 2008) through April 30th, and may be lengthened or shortened by
the fire chiefs depending on the fire hazard.
When open burning is allowed and before igniting any open fire, the permit holder
must confirm that burning is allowed on that day by calling the Outdoor Burning Hotline
at 470-5155 which provides the daily Air Quality and Venting Indices.
Outdoor burning is banned on all properties that are less than one hectare
(2.5 acres) in size in the Westside and Central Okanagan East (formerly
Ellison/Joe Rich) Electoral Areas of the Regional District and in the City
of Kelowna.
The District of Lake Country has no property size restrictions for outdoor
burning. A burning permit must be purchased and only permitted materials may
be burned.
The District of Peachland has its own burning bylaw which it enforces.
The main purpose of the Air Quality Index (AQI) is to inform the public about the
present state of air quality. Having a daily Air Quality Index available via the
media builds awareness in the public. For asthmatics and other concerned residents
it may even influence their behavior. For example, in a situation where the AQI
is high (above 50) those with respiratory problems may choose to refrain from strenuous
exercise or temporarily avoid the polluted region.
For regulations and information regarding Outdoor Burning, please contact your local
fire authority or
click on this link .
There are many alternatives to burning in the Central Okanagan. Click here
to view a
News Release on Burning Alternatives.
Burning Information
The winter in the Central Okanagan valley often sees strong inversions, which makes
for poor burning conditions as smoke becomes trapped in the valley bottom. The worst
scenario occurs when the inversion lifts, but remains below the height of local
hills. On days like this the Ventilation Index may be fair or good, but smoke won't
be able to disperse out of the valley and will in fact be mixed downward, significantly
reducing air quality. For those using wood burning appliances (wood stoves,
fire places, fire place inserts) please view this
Tip Sheet for Cleaner Burning.
Environment Canada provides free information to help those who are eligible to conduct
open burning in the Okanagan Valley. The Ventilation Index (VI) is a measure of
the ability of the atmosphere to disperse smoke. The higher the number, the lower
the risk of air pollution. The index ranges from 0 to 100. A value of 55 or greater
is recommended as the minimum value at which open burning should be considered.
Outdoor burning permits issued throughout the Central Okanagan require that the
Air Quality and Venting Indices must be in the good range before burning starts.
If you are allowed to burn and have a valid permit, call the Outdoor Burning
Hotline at 470-5155 to find out whether burning is allowed on a particular
day.
By knowing the frequency of good venting days one can better plan burning and thereby
lessen the impact of smoke on the population. Periods of poor air quality in the
region can often be correlated to the periods of poor ventilation (Source: Environment
Canada, 1996).
Click on this link to view information on the
Outdoor Burning Hotline and Burning Alternatives.
Click on this link for a downloadable copy of the |