B.C. on track to see record-breaking number of deadly fires in 2022

A "concerning" rise in the number of fire-related deaths in B.C. has fire departments looking to data to save lives.

In 2021, the fire commissioner reported 59 fire-related deaths - a 119 per cent increase since 2019 when there were 27. Already in 2022, 33 people have died due to fires which means the province is on pace for a record-breaking year.

One of them is Mary Ann Garlow, a resident of the Winters Hotel in Vancouver’s Gastown district.  There are many more who haven’t been publicly identified.

Brian Godlonton, B.C.'s fire commissioner released the office's 2021 annual report Wednesday. It shows the number of fires across the province is increasing.

"Most related injuries and deaths occur within people's homes, primarily sourced from cooking equipment, smoking materials and open flames," he added at a news conference.

Godlonton concluded the rise is due to people spending more time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than three-quarters of the fires in 2021 tore through residential addresses.

Seniors were overrepresented in pandemic deaths, and also in fire deaths.

The report also showed sprinklers and smoke alarms significantly reduced fatalities and injuries. Only 42 per cent of homes where there were fires in 2021 had working smoke alarms. Godlonton said that "was not good enough."

To increase the use of smoke alarms, Godlonton said fire departments could work with the Health Ministry, so when nurses or care aides visited seniors, they could check if there was a working smoke alarm.

Fire chiefs will use a dashboard to find out who is at highest risk of home fires. The information will come from Statistics Canada and reports to the fire commissioner's office to populate the community fire risk reduction dashboard. It will include information like the prevalence of sprinklers, smoke alarms, where previous fires have happened and where they could happen.

Godlonton said if there is a heat dome, emergency responders could also use the tool to find out who is at greatest risk and deploy resources appropriately as the data would be available by neighbourhood.

Port Alberni, Coquitlam and Surrey are involved in the pilot project but the commissioner expected the program would expand.

Vancouver firefighters are responding to, on average, ten calls a day where there’s damage. There are many other fires but there’s a common denominator – cooking, smoking materials, and open flames like candles.

Matthew Trudeau, the public information officer for Vancouver Fire Rescue Service, told CTV News the following prevention tips:

• If you’re cooking, set a timer;
• Have a working smoke alarm;
• Develop a home escape plan, or another way out;
• If smoking, be very diligent.

“It's hard for our fire crews,” he added. “The last thing we want to see is any kind of death or injury or property loss associated with these fires."

The commissioner said there was also a rise in arson fires, and stated more information would be coming in August.