Nanaimo Fire Rescue urges residents to be careful with fire

Everyone has a role in preventing fires

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed June 14, 2023 11:00 AM

Summary

With the arrival of summer weather and a burn ban in effect, Nanaimo Fire Rescue would like to remind residents of the increased risk of fire. All residents need to be aware and vigilant.

Most brush fires that occur within the City of Nanaimo are the result of human carelessness. In the summer months, when the ground is dry, fire crews respond to numerous preventable fires started by the improper disposal of cigarettes and smoking materials. Tossing a cigarette butt can have devastating impacts on lives and destroy structures and property at a rapid pace. Together we can protect our community and environment from human-caused fire.

The Fire Loss Prevention division of Nanaimo Fire Rescue offers these additional fire safety considerations to keep our community safe:

Always make sure you extinguish your smoking materials.
Do not discard smoking materials from vehicles. Use the interior ashtrays.
Never dispose of a cigarette anywhere but in an ashtray or other proper receptacle.

For more information on reducing the risks of wildfires, visit firesmartbc.ca.

Link to Strategic Plan: Mitigating the risk of fire supports A Healthy Nanaimo: Community Wellbeing and Livability.

Key Points

Tossing a cigarette or cigarette butt can have devastating impacts in dry conditions.
Be mindful. Extinguish your cigarettes and butts responsibly.

Quotes

"With the hot weather and dry conditions, we are launching our preventing fires awareness campaign. When Nanaimo Firefighters are called to a fire caused by smoking materials, we will post a sign asking people to extinguish their cigarettes and cigarette butts responsibly. These signs represent the location of a fire that could have been prevented."

Tim Doyle

Fire Chief

Nanaimo Fire Rescue

Links

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Contact:

For media enquiries, please contact

Communications

City of Nanaimo

250-754-4251

Media.Requests@nanaimo.ca

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