Open burning & fires across Northwest Territories
Can I have a backyard fire? Do I need a burn permit?
6 of 24 municipalities in Northwest Territories 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise Hamlet |
Fire Protection Bylaw No. 2011-24
adopted 2012-02-06 |
permit required: True · permit issuer: Fire Chief · allowed conditions: Only dry combustible material; at least 100 feet from fuel/propane tanks; supervised by permit holder; no waste oil or tires; approved fire pits exempt unless fire ban | 2026-06-04 |
| Fort Good Hope Charter Community |
By-law Number 212-18 — Fire Protection By-law | permit required: True · permit issuer: Fire Chief · allowed conditions: Only dry combustible material; at least 100 feet from fuel/propane tanks; supervised at all times; no waste oil or tires; fire inside a teepee exempt; brush burning requires permit | 2026-06-04 |
| Fort Smith Town |
Fire Prevention By-law No. 1024 | permit required: True · permit issuer: Fire Chief (Fire/EMS Chief) · allowed conditions: Burn Permit required to light a fire outdoors except in Approved Outdoor Cooking Appliance or Approved Fire Pit; only Approved Burning Materials (clean dry seasoned firewood, unpainted lumber, charcoal); no tires; permit cancelled on Partial/Complete Fire Ban | 2026-06-04 |
| Hay River Town |
Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 2238/PS/24 | permit required: True · permit issuer: Fire Chief · allowed conditions: Fire permit required to light a fire outdoors except safe fire pits when no fire ban; only dry combustible material, no tires/waste oil; active burning 8:30 am-7:00 pm with winds under 10 km/hour; at least 100 feet from fuel/propane tanks | 2026-06-04 |
| Inuvik Town |
Open-air Burning & Fireworks By-law No. 2650/FC/20 | permit required: True · permit issuer: Fire Chief or designate · allowed conditions: Open-air fire requires valid Town burn permit; constant supervision with extinguishing agent on site; at least 5m from building/structure/fence/road/wire and 3m clear of combustibles; no burning in dry/drought/ban conditions or wind over 16 km/h; residential fire max 1m diameter/2m height | 2026-06-04 |
| Yellowknife City |
Emergency Response and Fire Protection Services By-law No. 4502 | — | 2026-06-04 |
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 (6) — Délı̨nę, Fort Liard, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells, Tuktoyaktuk, Tulita.
No bylaws published online (11, verified negatives) — Aklavik, Fort McPherson, Fort Providence, Fort Resolution, Gamèti, Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tsiigehtchic, Ulukhaktok, Wekweètì, Whatì.
Unconfirmed (1, leads but nothing verified) — Behchokǫ̀.