Fire and Fireworks Permits

Fire permits

The Fire Permit Bylaw governs burning activities in Parkland County.

You can obtain a fire permit for up to a 90-day period depending on the type of burning. They are free of charge and available online or in person at the Parkland County Centre or the Entwistle Community Recreation Centre.

To apply online, Residents can now choose to create an account on the fire permit site. It will auto-fill your name and address information from your profile and show you a list of your permit applications. Please review these registration instructions or call Customer Service if you require any assistance at 780-968-8888.

Apply for a Fire Permit

Type of Burning	Less than 10 Acres	10 Acres or Greater
Fire pit or burn barrel with a screen	No permit required	No permit required
Fire pit without screen	Permit required. 90-day permits are available.	Permit required. 90 day permits are available.
Burning an uncontained pile of burnable debris (yard cleaning, debris/slash pile, windrow)	Permit required. Permits are available from December 1st until March 31st. Permits are for 10 days.	Permit required. 30 day permits are available.
Smudge fire contained with a screen	Contact Fire Services	No permit required
Smudge fire contained without a screen	Contact Fire Services	Permit required. 30 day permits are available.
Incinerator burning	Contact Fire Services	Contact Fire Services

Note: Fire hazard ratings and conditions may restrict the length of your fire permit.

What can I burn?

You can burn non-combustible debris such as:

straw and stubble
grass and weeds
leaves, tree prunings, brush and fallen trees on newly cleared land or associated with logging operations
wooden materials which do not contain preservatives

You cannot burn prohibited or combustible waste as they may release dense smoke, offensive odours or toxic substances. Prohibited waste includes:

animal manure
pathological waste
non-wooden material
waste material from building or construction sites, excluding wooden materials that do not contain preservatives
combustible material in automobile bodies
tires
rubber/plastic, or anything coated with rubber /plastic or similar substances, except if attached to shredded scrap steel
used oil
wood/wood products containing preservatives

Do I need to put out any signage during my burn?

If burning within 1/2 KM (500m) of a Primary or Secondary highway, smoke signs are required

Permittee may borrow (with refundable deposit) and post two (2) "smoke" signs to be posted along the highway from Parkland County or Alberta Transportation
Signs must be placed for both directions of traffic to see the signs
Additional signs may be required if burning close to an intersection
Must get approval to place "smoke" sign(s) on the highway from Alberta Transportation at 780-963-5711

How do I submit a burning complaint?

Type of Complaint

Call

Burning impacting quality of life/violating Fire Permit Bylaw

Parkland County Enforcement Services
780-968-8888

Burning causing offensive odours

Alberta Environment and Parks

1-800-222-6514

Burning affecting safety of life/property

9-1-1

Am I allowed to burn my crops?

The Government of Alberta has produced a fact sheet for Un-harvested and overwintered crops including potential downsides to crop burning. If you are considering burning what is left of your crops before seeding this spring, please note the following:

BEFORE YOU BURN:

Call your insurer before you burn. Some insurers may want to inspect your crop as part of the claim process and burning the crop down prior to speaking with your insurer could negatively affect your ability to file a claim. Don't lose out on a potential claim payout!
Apply for a Parkland County fire permit. You are permitted to have an open burn with a permit for up to 90 days once the permit has been approved.
Disc or cultivate around the burn area. Be sure to have a tractor with a disc or a cultivator on hand - if you do not, talk to your neighbours and see if they have one you can borrow.
Consider plowing a fire guard around your field to prevent the fire from getting out of control.
Bale the crop so you can burn it in a controlled manner.

While You Burn:

Have a mobile phone ready and be prepared to call 911 if the fire gets out of control. The earlier you call, the better. Don't attempt to extinguish the fire yourself - call us first!

Fireworks permits

Parkland County's Fire Permit Bylaw and the Alberta Fire Code provide regulations so you can enjoy fireworks safely.

Consumer Fireworks

Fireworks permits are available for the following days:

New Year's Day: 8:00 p.m. on December 31 to 1:00 a.m. on January 1
Canada Day: 8:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on July 1
Labour Day: 8:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on the first Monday of September

You can apply for a fireworks permit online. Parkland County's Fire Permit Bylaw prohibits consumer fireworks on all other days of the year.

Display Fireworks / Pyrotechnics

A licensed display fireworks supervisor may apply for a single day permit on any day of the year. Applications must be submitted for review and processing at least 14 days before the event.

Apply for a Fireworks Permit