Open burning & fires across New Brunswick
Can I have a backyard fire? Do I need a burn permit?
30 of 77 municipalities in New Brunswick have an adopted bylaw on open burning & fires on file. Each row links the municipality's answer page and, where transcribed, the full text of the document.
| Municipality | Adopted document | Key facts | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathurst City |
By-Law No. 2017-09 — By-Law Concerning Outside Fires in the City of Bathurst / Arrêté No 2017-09
adopted 2017-10-16 |
permit required: True · permit issuer: Bathurst Fire Department · allowed conditions: Outdoor fireplaces allowed without permit subject to regulations; open fires require valid permit or Fire Department authorization; category 1 provincial fire watch must permit fires. | 2026-06-07 |
| Caraquet Town |
Arrêté No. ARCAR-208 — Protection contre les incendies (Fire Protection) | allowed conditions: Recreational fires (category 1/campfire) per MNR guidelines on public or private land, or Caraquet-Bas-Caraquet fire service training. | 2026-06-05 |
| Carleton North Town |
Fire Protection and Prevention By-Law No. S-4
adopted 2025-06-24 |
permit required: True · permit issuer: Public Safety Manager · allowed conditions: Open-air outdoor fires require permit; residential organic burning allowed per NB Wildfire Index; 9AM–9PM; 15m from property line. Recreational fires (≤1.5m) need no permit. | 2026-06-05 |
| Dieppe City |
By-Law S-12 (2022) — Outside Fires
adopted 2022-08-08 |
permit required: True · permit issuer: municipality · allowed conditions: Valid permit held, or Fire Department Management authorization obtained; fire of dry wood only, between 4:00 p.m. and midnight, with constant adult supervision. | 2026-06-05 |
| Edmundston City |
Arrete municipal 34.1R2015 — Protection incendie pour les appareils de chauffage exterieurs
+1 more |
permit required: True · permit issuer: municipality · allowed conditions: Appliances certified EPA Phase 1 Qualified may operate year-round; non-certified appliances prohibited May 15–September 15. | 2026-06-05 |
| Fredericton City |
By-law No. S-20 — A By-law Respecting Fire Prevention | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Fundy Albert Village |
Hillsborough By-Law No. 41 — Fire Department and Prevention/Extinguishment of Fires
+1 more |
permit required: True · permit issuer: New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources or the Department of Environment and Local Government · allowed conditions: Burning in a properly constructed incinerator is permitted without a permit. | 2026-06-05 |
| Fundy Shores Rural community |
By-Law B-1-2023: Fire By-Law
adopted 2023-10-04 |
— | 2026-06-05 |
| Grand Bay-Westfield Town |
By-law PS-002: Volunteer Fire-Rescue Department (Open Burning) | permit required: False · allowed conditions: Cooking on barbeque; gas fire pits; outdoor wood-burning appliances ≥3m from structures, dry seasoned wood only, supervised; not during Kings County open burning ban. · fines: First contravention: N/C; second (same address within 365 days): $50; third and subsequent: $75; or category E offence upon conviction | 2026-06-05 |
| Grand Falls Town |
Arrêté S-10 / By-Law S-10: Exterior Fires
adopted 2025-08-13 |
permit required: True · permit issuer: Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development · allowed conditions: Small fire in approved outdoor fireplace within former municipal limits; open fires permitted in former LSDs with permit; propane/gas/charcoal BBQ permitted during Category 1 fire ban. | 2026-06-05 |
| Grand-Bouctouche Town |
Arrêté 2017-04 — Arrêté concernant les feux en plein air dans la ville de Bouctouche | — | 2026-06-07 |
| Hampton Town |
By-Law No. HAM-2024-06 — Hampton Fire By-law
adopted 2024-07-09 |
permit required: True · permit issuer: Hampton Fire-Rescue or Nauwigewauk Fire-Rescue · allowed conditions: Firefighters for training; cooking on barbeque; outdoor wood burning appliance/firepit with permit and safety conditions met | 2026-06-07 |
| Hartland Town |
By-Law D-07.02 — Fire Protection and Prevention By-law (eff. Sept 23, 2025)
adopted 2025-09-23 |
permit required: True · permit issuer: Fire Chief · allowed conditions: Residential: organic material only, Jan 2–May 31, 9 am–9 pm, 15 m from property line; non-residential: up to 3 m diameter, year-round; permit required. | 2026-06-07 |
| Harvey Rural community |
By-Law 2023-08 — A By-Law Respecting the Harvey Volunteer Fire Department (Fire By-Law)
adopted 2023-06-14 |
— | 2026-06-07 |
| McAdam Village |
By-Law No. 6 — Respecting Fire Prevention | permit required: True · permit issuer: Fire Prevention Officer or council · allowed conditions: Burning allowed without permit if done in approved incinerator or complying with Forest Fires Act regulations. | 2026-06-05 |
| Memramcook Village |
Arrêté no 41 — Protection contre les incendies et service d'urgence (Fire Protection and Emergency Services)
adopted 2016-09-26 |
allowed conditions: Burning allowed for recreational purposes in public or private places per New Brunswick Ministry of Natural Resources directives, or for Memramcook Fire Service training. | 2026-06-07 |
| Miramichi City |
By-Law No. 78 — Prevention and Control of Fires in the City of Miramichi
adopted 2006-07-27 |
permit required: False · allowed conditions: CSA-approved outdoor wood-burning appliance or recreational fire in contained hole/circle ≤1m diameter, dry seasoned firewood only, ≥3m from combustibles. · fines: not exceeding the maximum amount payable under Part II of the Provincial Offences Procedures Act, as a Category E offence | 2026-06-07 |
| Moncton City |
By-Law H-621 — Fire Protection / Arrêté H-621 — Protection contre les incendies
adopted 2021-07-19 |
permit required: True · permit issuer: Fire Chief · allowed conditions: With valid permit: Appliance only, dry seasoned firewood, 4:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m., 3m from structures, spark arrestors. Exempt: BBQ, campgrounds, Fire Dept training. | 2026-06-07 |
| Oromocto Town |
By-Law 533 — Prevention of Fires
+1 more |
permit required: False · allowed conditions: Fire Dept educational/training fires; cooking on a BBQ; outdoor wood burning appliance meeting distance, fuel, supervision, and no-smoke conditions. · fines: Voluntary payment $140; on summary conviction minimum $140, maximum $1,100 | 2026-06-05 |
| Riverview Town |
By-Law 500-11 — Fire Protection
adopted 2020-04-14 |
allowed conditions: Outdoor wood burning appliances may be used if manufactured guidelines followed, proper construction, water source available, supervised by adult, dry seasoned firewood only, 3m clearance, no provincial burn ban. · fines: not less than $240.00 and not more than $5,200.00 | 2026-06-05 |
| Rivière-du-Nord Town |
Arrêté No. 005-00-2024 — Arrêté sur la protection contre les incendies
adopted 2024-03-19 |
permit required: True · permit issuer: ministère des Ressources naturelles · allowed conditions: Campfires (feux de camp) exempt from permit; all outdoor fires must follow fire-index directives from ministère des Ressources naturelles, région de Gloucester. | 2026-06-05 |
| Rothesay Town |
By-Law 3-20: Fire Prevention and Protection By-law (amended August 2024) | permit required: False · allowed conditions: Recreational fires permitted in contained area, dry seasoned wood, max 1 sq metre, attended at all times, means of extinguishment available, owner consent given. · fines: Administrative penalty up to $175; offence conviction minimum $1,500.00, maximum $5,200.00 | 2026-06-05 |
| Saint Andrews Town |
By-Law No. 02-14: A By-law to Regulate Open Air Fires within the Town of Saint Andrews | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Saint John City |
By-Law Number L.G.-23 — A By-Law respecting Outdoor Fires within The City of Saint John | allowed conditions: Fires permitted only on days or times allowed under the province's forest fire watch; no-burn periods prohibited. | 2026-08-23 |
| Saint-Quentin Town |
Arrêté No. 21-2020: Arrêté municipal concernant l'allumage de feux en plein air
adopted 2020-03-03 |
permit required: True · permit issuer: Agent (chef pompier ou agent de prévention) · allowed conditions: Campfire on private land or with owner's permission requires no permit; backfire under fire service agent direction exempt. | 2026-06-05 |
| Salisbury Town |
By-Law No. 11 — Salisbury Fire Rescue and the Prevention/Extinguishment of Fires | permit required: True · permit issuer: Fire Chief (or Deputy Chief, Fire Prevention Officer, or Council-appointed Officer) · allowed conditions: Category 1 fires permitted; residential zones require appliance ≤1m, ≥3m from combustibles, dry seasoned firewood only; not during DNR restricted burn periods. | 2026-06-05 |
| Shediac Town |
By-Law No. 13-51 — Outdoor Burning Appliances
+1 more |
permit required: True · permit issuer: clerk · allowed conditions: CSA/EPA certified appliances only; installed in rear or side yard; 15m from lot boundaries; minimum 4,000 sq m lot; only solid wood fuel used. | 2026-06-05 |
| Tantramar Town |
By-Law No. 2026-21 — A By-Law Respecting the Regulation of Fires and Burning in Tantramar
adopted 2026-04-27 |
permit required: True · permit issuer: Fire Chief · allowed conditions: BBQ cooking, Fire Department training fires, Ceremonial/Sacred fires (24h notice to Fire Chief), blueberry field burning (Schedule A), and Category 1 fires on eligible properties without a permit. | 2026-06-05 |
| Three Rivers Village |
By-Law No. 62 — Burning By-Law (Ward 2, Village of Petitcodiac predecessor) | permit required: False · allowed conditions: Burning allowed in acceptable outdoor burning appliance, on private land, for recreational or personal use only, with adult supervision and firefighting means nearby. · fines: $50 for the first offence and $200 for each subsequent offence; minimum $240 for s.2(e) violations | 2026-06-05 |
| Vallée-des-Rivières Town |
Arrêté 10-2025-VDR — Feux extérieurs (Outdoor/Open Fires)
adopted 2025-11-19 |
permit required: True · permit issuer: Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development · allowed conditions: Category 1 fires not prohibited by NB Forest Fire Watch; in former LSDs, open fires with provincial permit; in former municipal limits, outdoor fireplace only. | 2026-06-05 |
Nothing on file for open burning & fires
Absence here is explicit, not a gap: each municipality below was checked, and its status says why there is no document.
Other bylaws on file, none on this topic (43) — Alnwick, Arcadia, Beaurivage, Beausoleil, Belle-Baie, Belledune, Bois-Joli, Butternut Valley, Campbellton, Cap-Acadie, Central York, Champdoré, Doaktown, Eastern Charlotte, Fredericton Junction, Fundy-St. Martins, Grand Lake, Grand Manan, Hanwell, Haut-Madawaska, Hautes-Terres, Heron Bay, Kedgwick, Lakeland Ridges, Maple Hills, Miramichi River Valley, Nackawic-Millville, Nashwaak, Neguac, New Maryland, Nouvelle-Arcadie, Shippagan, Southern Victoria, St. Stephen, Strait Shores, Sunbury-York South, Sussex, Tobique Valley, Tracadie, Tracy, Valley Waters, Woodstock, Île-de-Lamèque.
No bylaws published online (2, verified negatives) — Campobello Island, Upper Miramichi.
Unconfirmed (2, leads but nothing verified) — Five Rivers, Quispamsis.