Surrey firefighters called to more than 100 brush fires a month
CBC
Surrey, B.C., Mayor Brenda Locke has asked city staff to come up with way to curb an alarming rate of fire in the city's green spaces.
On Monday, Locke presented a notice of motion at a special council meeting, asking staff to assess the city's fire risk and ways to stop human-caused fires from flaring up in places like parks.
"People really need to listen to the fire bans, know that things like tossing a cigarette out, or fireworks or barbecues, all of those things that can cause fire — please don't do that, especially at these times of high risk," told CBC News after the meeting.
Her motion said that between May 1 and July 31 of this year, the Surrey Fire Service responded to more than 350 brush and grass fires.
At the council meeting, she updated the number to 377, meaning there have been an additional 27 fires in the past 12 days.
"This is very, very concerning," she said.
Locke did not say what damage has occurred from the fires, but said that would be part of the report she was asking from staff, which is to be prepared for council for September 9.
Fire danger in the city is currently high, with charcoal briquette barbecues not permitted in parks, along with several other prohibitions to prevent fires.
Earlier this month, the city sent out a press release advising residents of fire danger in the city and that there would be enhanced enforcement.
"Residents are reminded that contravention of by-laws can come with significant financial penalties, including up to $5,000 for the use of fireworks and up to $2,000 for campfires, plus the costs of prosecution," said the advisory.
Locke said she hopes the staff report will consider an increase of fines, perhaps even doubling them during periods of high fire risk in the city.
"I hope we look at that and that's one of the things I'm going to be talking to the fire chief about," she said. "We need to make sure this is mitigated and done quickly."
A church service in Stratford, P.E.I., brought together Christmas traditions from across the globe on Sunday.
On an extremely cold day, many people would prefer to stay home, cozy up under a blanket, and put on the TV, radio, or a favourite podcast.
In an era of Ring doorbells and No Soliciting signs, breaking the evening silence of a suburban London street can sometimes feel like a radical act.
For years, oil tanker traffic has been prohibited off the waters of northern British Columbia in order to protect environmentally sensitive coastlines from disaster.
Cape Breton organizations that give out clothing to people in need are having trouble keeping their closets full.
Gabriel Plourde’s introduction to the music world came when he was nine, and a character in a Legend of Zelda game played a type of flute called an ocarina.
A TTC streetcar has derailed following an early morning crash with a car at a busy downtown Toronto intersection, said police.
This First Person article is the experience of Itrat Anwar, a newcomer from Bangladesh who now calls Steinbach, Man., his home. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see this FAQ. You can read more First Person articles here.
James Benesh was so interested in researching an online hockey draft, he ended up with one of the largest-known collections of hockey books and eventually being called a hockey historian.
A recent market and fundraiser showcasing Palestinian-owned businesses in Hamilton, including new start-ups by people from Gaza who now call the city home, was met with “incredible” support, organizers say.
This time next year, Joellah Fletcher plans to be prepping or taking her final exams to become a certified Red Seal carpenter.
East of the small village of Coutts, Alta., a stone’s throw from the border with the United States, Cindy Bosch’s day-to-day life looks much like it did a year ago.
For years, police have been on the front lines of mental health crisis calls in Toronto, but the city's police chief believes it's now time to rethink that approach.