Fernie Fire and Emergency Services

10/13/2026

🚒 🎒 Fall is always a busy time for our Fernie Fire and Emergency Services team who have just wrapped up school visits and fire safety talks for 300 K-2 students and completed the 2026 Learn Not to Burn program for all Grade 3 students at the Fernie Academy and EIDES!
🏫 The Learn Not to Burn program runs for 4 weeks, with weekly classroom visits teaching students about fire safety—highlighting the importance of working smoke alarms, having a family Escape Plan, and knowing how to call 911.
🧑‍🚒 The program ended last week, with one lucky student selected from each class to become a "Fire Chief for the Day." The 5 students spent the day with Fernie firefighters, practiced some fire ground "training," met with the Deputy Mayor and Fire Chief, and were well fed by White Birch Cafe and Dairy Queen. Thank you👏 to local businesses for their ongoing support of the program!

10/08/2026

🧑‍🚒This Fire Prevention Week, Fernie Fire and Emergency Services would like to remind residents to use wood stoves and fireplaces safely.

🔥As we prepare for cooler temperatures, here are some tips to keep in mind before striking the first match:
- Schedule an annual professional chimney inspection. Creosote—a highly flammable, tar-like byproduct of burning wood—can slowly build up inside your flue. Even a thin layer of creosote buildup can ignite within minutes and spread undetected into your attic or walls.
- Burn only seasoned hardwood that has been split and stacked for at least six months.
- Never use your fireplace to dispose of cardboard, wrapping paper, plastics, or household garbage.
- Ensure your chimneys have a secure cap and always use a metal mesh screen or closed glass doors to prevent embers from reaching your floors or carpets.
- In case of a chimney fire, evacuate immediately and call emergency services. Only if it is completely safe to do so, close the appliance doors and dampers to choke the fire’s air supply before exiting.

Learn more at https://www.fernie.ca/EN/meta/whats-new/news-archives/2026-archive/fall-chimney-safety-reminders-from-fernie-fire-rescue.html.

07/20/2026

View all fire bans and restrictions for the Southeast Fire Centre, located in Castlegar and extending from the U.S. border to Mica Dam and from the Okanagan Highlands/west side of the Monashee Mountains to the B.C./Alberta border.

05/21/2026

Looking forward to our collaborative training with Bc wildfire

🔥The City of Fernie and the BC Wildfire Service will be conducting a planned grass burn on May 21 at the wastewater lagoons site on Thompson Road.
The burn area will cover between 1,500 to 2,000 square metres and is being carried out to remove heavy thatched grass that has accumulated in the area, helping to reduce nesting of rodents that are chewing on the pond liners and reduce future fire risk.
🚒City of Fernie Public Works staff and Fernie Fire and Emergency Services firefighters, along with a fire truck, will be onsite throughout the operation to monitor conditions and ensure the burn is conducted safely.
🧑‍🚒Four BC Wildfire Service wildland firefighters from Cranbrook will be assisting with the burn and will also be providing valuable wildfire training and safety exercises for Fernie Fire Rescue members during the operation.
Residents may notice smoke in the area during the operation. The burn will proceed only if weather and site conditions are suitable.

05/12/2026

🧯Local Government Awareness Week Department Showcase: In addition to fire protection and prevention, Fire and Emergency Services is responsible for emergency management planning and educating the community on how we can keep ourselves and our families safe.
🧑‍🚒In 2025, we hired five new auxiliary fire fighters, completed over 5,300 training hours, and expanded our public education and outreach programs.
🎉Just last Saturday, Fernie Fire Rescue and the East Kootenay Emergency Management Program came together to host Family Safety Day, an Emergency Preparedness Fair. The fantastic turnout was an example of how working together strengthens our community.
🚒Drop by Prentice Park from 1–3 pm today to meet some of our amazing fire fighters at the Equipment Showcase.
📅Event details can be found here: https://www.fernie.ca/EN/meta/whats-new/news-archives/2026-archive/local-government-awareness-week-community-events.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawRwIGxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFDM2Y2NldIZUVPc2MxZFZYc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHm4ZEoNrSxyGEOQ9Ol9-fUe5dzGh0iu8Jl7TaIV2HGWMyY2SWeq8aRhNpUxV_aem_7rYZ1rGs4WAF6XiCv0dYlA

05/01/2026

🚒 The City has reached a key milestone on the Fire Hall Replacement project with the completion of final design and construction contracting requirement for the urgently needed new fire hall.

✅We have a finalized design, a fixed‑price construction contract ready, and a project that is on schedule and within the approved $16 million budget.

🧑‍🚒The purpose‑built fire hall is designed to meet both current and future community needs, with construction costs coming in just over $15 million and sufficient funds retained for contingency and planned ball diamond upgrades at James White Park.

📍The fire hall is planned for 1500 5th Avenue, a portion of Prentice Park. The City is currently awaiting a decision relating to a petition before the Supreme Court of BC regarding the site, which must be resolved before construction can begin. In the meantime, all preparatory work required to advance the project, including coordination with park user groups, has been completed.

👷The construction schedule has been sequenced to allow work to begin during the 2026 building season, with an operational fire hall anticipated in 2027.

Learn more about the project, and next steps: https://letstalk.fernie.ca/firehall

11/26/2025

11/12/2025

Protecting our community since 1904

10/14/2025

08/11/2025

The Elk River's water level is dropping, narrowing its channels and directing flow into several hazardous log jams. The force of the current can easily entrap individuals underwater—regardless of strength or swimming ability.