B.C. partners with Stats Canada to prevent fire-related deaths

June 9, 2022, B.C. – B.C. has partnered with Statistics Canada to create a Community Fire Risk Reduction Dashboard to help B.C. fire services prevent fires, reduce injuries and save lives.

This is crucial given the increasing trend in fire-related deaths.

The “dashboard” will provide statistical and geographical information to help B.C.’s fire services identify areas in communities at greatest risk of home fires. This information will be used to provide safety information targeted to areas that need it most. This will help protect residents, firefighters, and reduce the social and financial impacts to communities resulting from those fires.

Over the last two reporting years, there has been a 119% increase in fire-related deaths around B.C., according to the Office of the Fire Commissioner’s annual report. In 2021, there were 59 fire-related deaths and 180 fire injuries. People over the age of 65 were over-represented in fire deaths. Only 42% of reported residential structure fires had a working smoke alarm.

The Office of the Fire Commissioner will be launching pilots of the dashboard with the cities of Coquitlam, Surrey, and Port Alberni in July. The office intends to rollout the dashboard provincially in early 2023.