Wildfire Hazard Regulations

Considering renovations to the outside of your home or making changes to your landscaping or yard?
If so, this is a great opportunity to make your home and property FireSmart to protect it from the threat of wildfires.

The District has recently adopted wildfire hazard regulations, including a Wildfire Development Permit Area and a Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw, to help protect the community. 

Wildfire Development Permit Area (DPA)

The purpose of the Wildfire Development Permit Area (DPA) is to protect development from wildfire hazards. New development occurring within wildfire hazard areas must obtain a permit and meet a set of guidelines focused on fire-resistive building materials and landscaping.

View the Wildfire DPA guidelines and map of the hazard areas here.

Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw

Wildfire hazard risk is impacted by the types of landscaping that surround your home. To reduce fire hazards in yards and neighbourhoods, the District has adopted a Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw which regulates landscaping within a 10-metre area surrounding buildings and structures.

Key elements of the bylaw include the:

  • Prohibition of planting new Juniper, Cedar and Yew which are the top 3 worst offenders (from a flammability perspective!)  
  • Spacing out of fire-prone trees and shrubs (avoid clumping flammable plants together, and place fire-resistant plants in between
  • Maintenance of a 1.5 metre (5 foot) separation between fire-prone trees and shrubs to buildings (including a 5-foot buffer from roofs and under eaves) 

Wondering what you should or shouldn't plant? Not sure what a fire-prone tree is or what a fire-resistant plant is? View the FireSmart Landscaping Guide for tips on choosing and planting trees and shrubs.

No new cedar or yew hedges are allowed in the District going forward, but you can maintain your existing hedge! Check out the Wildfire DPA Compliant Hedge Alternatives Guide to discover the many alternatives to cedar hedging.

View the full Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw here. 

An FAQ is provided at the bottom of this page to help answer your questions on the Wildfire Hazard Regulations.

Question not answered or want to find out more about the Wildfire DPA or Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw?
Contact the Planning Department at planning@squamish.ca

Show All

Wildfire DPA and Landscaping Management Bylaw FAQ

  • What is a Wildfire Development Permit Area?

  • Why do we need a Wildfire DPA?

  • What areas of Squamish are subject to the Wildfire DPA?

  • What are the key elements of the Wildfire DPA?

  • What types of development or construction trigger the Wildfire DP?

  • How does the Wildfire DPA affect building design and construction?

  • How does the Wildfire DPA affect landscaping around homes?

  • How does the Wildfire DPA affect new subdivisions?

  • How does the Wildfire DP application process work?

  • Are there any exemptions from the Wildfire DPA?

  • What is the intent of the Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw?

  • What is the Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw?

  • How will the Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw affect me?

  • Would I need to remove my existing landscaping under the Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw?

  • Can I plant a new cedar or yew hedge under the Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw?

  • What can I plant?

  • Under the Wildfire Landscaping Management Bylaw, if one or more of the trees in my existing row of cedar hedges die, could I fill in the gaps by replacing them with new cedars?

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