Why Vancouver can host the Celebration of Light amid a B.C.-wide fire ban and drought

The optics of Vancouver’s annual fireworks event kicking off this weekend while a province-wide fire ban is in place have some locals questioning whether the show should go on.

British Columbians are flocking to social media to express concerns over the 31st Honda Celebration of Light, a three-night event beginning this Saturday in which fireworks are lit from a barge in English Bay.

“I thought we had a provincial fire ban on? How is Vancouver having their Celebration of Lights fireworks,” one Facebook user wrote Friday.

Matthew Trudeau, a Vancouver Fire Rescue Services spokesperson, says the difference between the event and the fire activities of the general public is like comparing apples with oranges.

“There’s a huge differentiation between those two thing,” Trudeau explained over the phone.

“We have trained pyro technicians who have been in the industry for decades, lighting fireworks in the middle of a body of water, supported by a fully-complemented fire department and the rest of our partnership agencies.”

On the nights of the fireworks, Trudeau says all 140 firefighters who work on a full-time basis with VFRS will be on duty, and an additional 30 members will be working in close proximity to English Bay.

Every year, the festival draws about 1.3 million people over the three nights to the beach downtown, according to Paul Reynolds, the event’s executive producer. Speaking to reporters Friday morning, Reynolds said the event also generates an economic impact of more than $200 million a year.

In anticipation of crowds, fire trucks will be staged downtown ahead of time in accessible locations, according to Trudeau. He says there will also be two fire boats operating in key locations to help out in case of an emergency on the water.

The VFRS Public Safety Unit, which is integrated with the Vancouver Police Department, will also be activated during the event.

“We’ve got everyone there,” said Trudeau. He adds that he’s never heard of any incident of anything igniting and causing injury or property loss In the 31-year history of Vancouver’s fireworks festival.

“There are hundreds of thousands of people with eyes and ears covering this area,” said Trudeau.

In contrast, fires can burn for hours in B.C.’s wildland before going reported, and those flames can be difficult to access depending on terrain, steepness and the impact of the weather, says Trudeau.

He emphasizes that the licensed pyro-technicians involved in the three-show event—which includes teams from Australia, Mexico and the Philippines—are putting their livelihood on the line to make sure the celebration goes on safely.

“We’ve seen the results of what happens when we give the general population fireworks—the risk to people’s properties and houses and communities in the brush is very high,” Trudeau said.

He adds that if anyone outside of the Honda Celebration of Lights is caught setting off fireworks, they’ll face stiff penalties and fines.

“There’s just zero excuse for operating them at all, it’s just reckless,” said Trudeau.