Coquitlam increases fines for smoking in City parks to $500 each summer between June 1 and September 30 in response to heightened fire risk.
COQUITLAM, B.C., June 3, 2025 – We all have a role to play in keeping our parks and community safe and fire-free. This is why Coquitlam increases fines for smoking in City parks to $500 each summer between June 1 and September 30 in response to heightened fire risk.
Smoking, including e-cigarettes and cannabis, is never allowed in any City park. Littering cigarette butts on the ground or by throwing one out of a vehicle can also result in a fine.
Fire Prevention Education Open House June 21
Mark your calendar to join Coquitlam Fire/Rescue to learn how to manage fire risks to protect your property from an encroaching wildfire, and how to avoid causing a fire.
- Date: Saturday, June 21
- Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Location: Burke Mountain Fire Hall (3501 David Avenue)
Coquitlam Fire/Rescue will display wildfire-related equipment and educate homeowners about the importance of removing dead trees and shrubs. Emergency Management staff will cover how to prepare to evacuate in the event of a wildfire, and how to be prepared for an earthquake. Event details are available at coquitlam.ca/SummerFireSafety.
City Steps Up Enforcement during Summer Months
During the summer months, patrols from Coquitlam Bylaw Enforcement Officers, Fire/Rescue and RCMP members increase to protect Coquitlam parks and forested areas from the threat of fire during warm, dry weather.
Outdoor burning and campfires are also not allowed in City parks. Barbeques are allowed unless Coquitlam’s Fire Chief has implemented a barbeque ban after several days of extreme fire risk. Please report any signs of smoke or fire by calling 9-1-1 immediately.
To learn about the City’s current fire-risk rating, visit coquitlam.ca/SummerFireSafety. To report a bylaw complaint, such as someone smoking in a park, please call Bylaw Enforcement at 604-927-3580 or email BylawEnforcement@coquitlam.ca.
Reduce and Limit the Risk of Fire
Protect yourself, your family and our community by following these fire prevention tips:
- Do not have open fires or conduct outdoor burning.
- Relocate combustible debris or firewood at least 10 metres away from your home.
- Keep roofs and gutters clear of dead needles; prune branches that hang over any roof.
- Reduce the amount of debris around your home; prune shrubs, remove dead and dry vegetation and tree limbs 2-3 metres from the ground.
- Reduce the chance of fire spreading to your home by breaking up vegetation and tree canopies so they do not create a direct line leading to your home.
- Be aware when mowing your lawn that if the mower blade comes into contact with a rock, it has potential to create a spark that may ignite a fire.
- Ensure your vehicle's exhaust does not emit onto a dry lawn.
- Watch for bans on using barbeques.
Please visit coquitlam.ca/SummerFireSafety for more information on preventing fires during the summer months.
Media contact
Aaron Hilgerdenaar
Senior Manager Bylaw Services
bylawenforcement@coquitlam.ca
We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that the name Coquitlam was derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (HUN-kuh-MEE-num) word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (kwee-KWET-lum) meaning “Red Fish Up the River”. The City is honoured to be located on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm traditional and ancestral lands, including those parts that were historically shared with the q̓ic̓əy̓ (kat-zee), and other Coast Salish Peoples.