Will your city have fireworks this Canada Day? It depends on the fire risk — and cost

Canada Day 2023 will not be ending with a bang for many B.C. cities, sparking a mix of disappointment and understanding from residents looking forward to celebratory fireworks on July 1.

In some places, the decision has come down to the risks: dozens of wildfires are burning across the province's Interior and northeast, with the fire danger in the region rated high to extreme.

So many local governments simply don't think setting off more explosives is the right decision.

"We know people are keen for fireworks, particularly to celebrate Canada Day, but it simply is not worth the risk," Prince George fire chief Cliff Warner said, while announcing the city's fireworks display will be called off.

"We've already seen people in northeast B.C. evacuated earlier this month due to wildfires, so we need to make sure we're playing our part and being sensible during the summer months."

Likewise, the Cultus Lake Park Board near Chilliwack, east of Vancouver, has decided to forego a fireworks display, despite receiving permission from the forests ministry to move forward amidst the current fire ban.

The board said with fires burning across Canada, it would be more appropriate to wait until later in the year to host the event.

Elsewhere, cities are moving ahead with officially sanctioned displays.

Kelowna and Kamloops, which in recent years have borne the brunt of wildfires and smoke dampening summer celebrations, are taking advantage of a relatively calm year in their region to put on a light show.

Kamloops fire chief Ken Uzeloc said he carefully reviewed the safety plan before approving a fireworks show scheduled for Riverside Park this Saturday — the first such event in the city since 2019.

But, he said, he's prepared to revoke permission should the weather change.

"If the day of, all of a sudden it's way too windy and we're not going to be able to control where those fireworks are going to go and where those embers are going to fall out onto, we can shut it down."

The key, Uzeloc said, is for fireworks display to be put on by a licensed professional in a controlled environment. His larger concern is people who may purchase and set off personal fireworks in their own yards or on public property — something banned by Kamloops and many other municipalities.

"It might be legal to buy them," he said. "But it is not legal to set them off."