Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs calls for firework safety as heat intensifies

EDMONTON – With Canada Day fast approaching, Canadian fire chiefs are reminding the public about the safe use of fireworks.

Chief of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs Ken McMullen says people should remember that fireworks are still explosives and are dangerous when the conditions are hot and dry.

McMullen also says in a statement more than 700 fire departments nationwide respond to at least one call due to mishandling publicly available fireworks.

This from McMullen comes after wildfires sparked in several provinces this year, including Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia.

Temperatures in all three provinces, as well as Ontario and Quebec, have also hovered around the 30-degree-Celsius mark at times as well, fuelling the fires and leading Environment Canada to issue heat warnings.

McMullen says as climate conditions become increasingly extreme, a national fire administration will be needed to examine the human causes of fire, which can include fireworks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2024.