THE Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) said on Wednesday that as a result of the ban by Vancouver City Council on the the sale and possession of consumer fireworks, there was a decrease in total dollar loss from fires and loss attributed to firework use this Halloween.

On average, the VFRS responds to approximately 10 fire incidents per day. This past Saturday, the VFRS responded to 14 on Saturday, and 11 on Sunday, in comparison to last year where they responded to 35 fires.

Additionally, in 2020, the fire loss data indicates that the total dollar loss in 2020 Halloween for everything related to fireworks was $408,000, whereas this year, that loss amount was down just over $400,000 to $5,500.

The recent ban includes a fine increase from $500 to $1,000 for the sale, possession and discharge of fireworks. To prepare for Halloween 2021, VFRS increased service support on the night of to ensure parks and schools were appropriately patrolled in anticipation of firework usage. Though some fireworks did slip through, the dollar amounts and losses in comparison to previous years was down significantly.

“No fireworks were seized nor were any municipal tickets issued for the illegal discharge or possession of fireworks,” said Dave Meers, Assistant Chief Community Safety Division for VFRS. “Although we heard reports from citizens about hearing and seeing fireworks, this didn’t translate into higher fire incidents reported, or dollar losses from past years.”

The VFRS said it acknowledges that the effectiveness of the ban may take some time to see the number of fires reported, and dollar loss continue to decrease over time. Challenges remain with people still having the ability to purchase fireworks from other municipalities not affected by the ban, or through online purchases that remain unregulated. However, the VFRS said that continuing to improve public safety during Halloween continues to be a focus for it now and into the future.