No spike in fireworks calls expected on last Halloween of Vancouver sales, says fire dept.

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — This is the last Halloween you’ll be able to buy fireworks legally in Vancouver.

Despite that, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services isn’t expecting a busier night of fireworks-related calls than it usually sees on Oct. 31.

“I don’t think it’s that much of a concern,” Capt. Jonathan Gormick said of the bylaw passed last November, banning the sale and use of consumer fireworks by 2021.

“You know, we’re heading into what’s also a fairly different Halloween because of COVID and the possibility of people not being out in groups, hopefully not being out of groups as much as they traditionally were — and weather could also play a factor,” he said.

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“So we’re not anticipating a huge burst in sales because this is the last Halloween, and hopefully we’ll see a comparable drop in the number of work-related issues, as well.”

Gormick reminds you to follow the instructions carefully if you do buy fireworks.

There’s no way to know at this point whether people are actually buying more fireworks than usual as sales are only allowed between Oct. 25 and Halloween Day.

According to the bylaw motion from last year, the Vancouver Police Department sees calls for service dramatically increase during the five days leading up to Oct. 31 each year.

“In a 2018 memo, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services compiled damages and cost over the last 12 years and found that the average fire loss per year due to the use of consumer fireworks is $379,000.00,” says the motion.

Other cities with bans on the sale of fireworks include North Vancouver, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Richmond, Delta, Surrey, Langley, Langley Township, Abbotsford,
Mission, Victoria, and Seattle, Wash.