Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue

Support Community Safety: Vote Yes on the Maxwell Lake Referendum

Government & Official Services
April 16, 2025

Support Community Safety: Vote Yes on the Maxwell Lake Referendum – May 8 By the Salt Spring Island Fire Protection District Board of Trustees The […]

Notice of the 2025 Annual General Meeting

Non-Profit Ads (Registered)
April 14, 2025

Public Notice is hereby given to the owners of land within the Salt Spring Island Fire Protection District that the Annual General Meeting will be […]

Fast Action by Fire Crews Prevents Loss of House on Arnell Way

At 11;20 on July 22 , 2024 Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue (SSIFR) responded to reports of hydro lines down at 185 Arnell Way. Upon arrival crews met with the owner of the residence and were directed to a large tree that had fallen across their residential service drop. Upon investigation the crews noticed a fire and smoke coming from the roof and eaves. Crews were able to quickly remove the soffits and open up the gable end of the roof gaining access to the fire, extinguishing it and avoiding a serious, fully involved structure fire. 18 firefighters responded to the emergency page-out, 10 were held in reserve in case the emergency escalated or in the event that another emergency was received at the same time and 8 were on scene actioning the fire and doing salvage operations.. Approximately 250 gallons of water was used. There were no injuries and fire, smoke and water damage were kept to a minimum. We would like to thank our crews and BC Hydro for their hard work and assi…

Salt Spring Fire May 11th on West Eagle Drive

Salt Spring Island Fire responded to a report of an outbuilding on fire in the 300 block of West Eagle Drive on Saturday May 11th. An RV and a nearby storage shed were consumed with flames that extended into the surrounding trees and ground cover. Crews were able to knock down and control the spread of the fire with handline attacks from two apparatus. Water was supplied to the scene using a Tender Shuttle operation that Fire Department members train on regularly. Fifteen Firefighters were on scene with no reported injuries. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

New Salt Spring Island firehall on schedule, and on budget

Salt Spring's upcoming firehall project is proceeding smoothly, staying on track both in terms of schedule and budget, as reported by CAO Rodney Dieleman and the Salt Spring Fire Improvement District Board of Trustees. The recently received schedule B cost estimates, a crucial construction milestone offering up to 90% cost certainty, validate the meticulous planning and estimation efforts, resulting in a project likely to meet or even surpass the original budget. Board Chair Rollie Cook expressed confidence that the approved $9.7 million borrowing from ratepayers is adequate for project completion. The owner’s representative on the project, Hans Hazenboom, pointed out that “the project is now entering the active tendering and construction phase, including inviting local contractors to get involved.” Hans added that while installing solar panels was beyond the original budget, “provisions are being made to accommodate a future installation”. Building permits are in progress,…

Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue contain structure fire at 105 Cusheon Place with 12,000 gallons of water

On January 12th, 2024, at 8:12 PM, Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue responded to reports of a residential structure fire at 105 Cusheon Place. Upon arrival, crews found a fully involved, two-story residential structure. Multiple lines were used to contain the fire to the building of origin and to protect adjacent structures and trees. Eight fire apparatus and twenty-one firefighters responded to the scene and approximately 12,000 gallons of water was shuttled from the Beddis Rd water system. The fire was confined and extinguished after six hours. Firefighters battled against extreme cold and high winds. There were no firefighter injuries. Unfortunately, the structure was a total loss. The structure was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The fire is currently under investigation but does not look suspicious currently. We would like to thank the RCMP, BC Hydro, BCAS and Emcon for their assistance at the emergency scene.

New fire hall project is on track

The new fire hall project on Salt Spring Island is making steady progress and remains on schedule and within budget as of July 31, 2023, according to the Salt Spring Island Fire Protection District, also known as Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue (SSIFR). Despite financial constraints, including the rapid rise of chartered bank interest rates since 2022, SSIFR is confident that the project remains within the stipulated referendum limit of $9.7 million for borrowing. There are many stages involved in managing the construction of a new firehall to enhance safety and emergency response capabilities for our community. Some of the stages already completed include hiring a construction manager and architect, announced in March 2023. Ongoing steps include signing off on final drawings, securing final price estimates for construction, obtaining the building permit, site preparation, and preparing for the construction tendering process. Since its launch in January 2023, the new Fi…

Backyard burning and machine piles prohibited as of noon Thursday, May 18, 2023

Announcement: Effective at noon Pacific Daylight Time on Thursday, May 18, 2023, most open burning activities will be prohibited on Salt Spring Island and throughout the Coastal Fire Centre’s jurisdiction. This prohibition is being enacted to help reduce wildfire risk and protect public safety. Category 2 and Category 3 open fires will be prohibited on Salt Spring Island and throughout the Coastal Fire Centre’s jurisdiction. This prohibition will be in place until October 31, 2023, or until the order is rescinded. Specifically, this prohibition refers to the following activities: “Category 2 open fire” (backyard and incinerator burning) “Category 3 open fire” (machine pile) Also prohibited are the activities listed below (Wildfire Act, Section 12): Fireworks; Sky Lanterns; Binary Exploding Targets; Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description; and, Air Curtain Burners. Currently, the prohibition does not apply to Category 1 – Campf…

Island firefighters had a quick "win" at structure fire caused by a lithium-battery explosion

Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue (SSIFR) responded to report of a fire at a single-story residence at 308 Maliview Drive just after 4pm. on February 13. "It was a very good save with a pretty favourable outcome," said SSIFR Assistant Chief Mitchell Sherrin. SSIFR crews were on scene within 11 minutes of the call and observed smoke pouring out of attic vents. Both occupants and a pet were out of the residence upon arrival, he said. "The resident did something that really helped us get the fire under control; when he saw that the fire was too big to fight with an extinguisher, he kept a cool head, and he immediately closed all the doors to the fire room. That help to confine the blaze and buy us time by starving the fire of oxygen," Sherrin said. There were no reported injuries. Fire crews used a fire hose and minimal water (60 gallons) to extinguish the fire. A positive-pressure fan was used to remove extensive smoke from the building. Fire damage was significant but c…

Salt Spring Linen & Dry Cleaners heavily damaged in overnight fire

On February 7, 2023, at 01:12 Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue (SSIFR) was called for a Commercial Structure at 116 Hereford Ave, Salt Spring Linen & Dry Cleaners. Upon arrival crews found heavy smoke and fire conditions in the loading bay, extending up to the second floor of the structure. Initial crews attacked the fire externally to slow the spread of fire until Paid-on-Call (POC) firefighters arrived. As Tender 1 and Engine 3 arrived, operations transitioned to the interior to extinguish the fire, search the building, salvage items, and to complete the overhaul. “The crews did an amazing job”, said Fire Chief Jamie Holmes. “The on-duty firefighters got here quickly, started an action plan, and bought time for the POC Firefighters to arrive and complete the job. It was a great team effort.” A total of 13 firefighters and 6 apparatus used approximately 3700 gallons of water to extinguish and overhaul the fire in just over 6 hours. The fire is currently under investiga…

Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue 479 Horel Road structure fire incident report

At 10:32 on January 8th, 2023 Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue (SSIFR) responded to reports of a residential structure fire at 479 Horel Road. Upon arrival, crews found a fully involved, two-story, double garage, as well as a vehicle on fire, in front of the structure. Multiple lines were used to contain the fire to the building of origin and protect the adjacent home. Ten fire apparatus, and twenty-two firefighters responded to the scene and approximately 6000 gallons of water was shuttled from the Beddis water system. The fire was confined, extinguished, and over-hauled in 5 hours with a minor injury to one firefighter. Unfortunately, the garage was a total loss, and the upstairs was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The fire is currently under investigation but does not look suspicious at this time. We would like to thank RCMP, BCAS and BC Hydro for their assistance with the emergency scene and ensuring our members safety.

Salt Spring Island Fire Protection District appoints Dale Lundy to Deputy Fire Chief

Salt Spring Island Fire Protection District is pleased to announce the appointment of Dale Lundy to Deputy Fire Chief effective July 1st, 2022. Deputy Chief Lundy has served our community with Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue for 30 years. Most recently as Assistant Fire Chief and Executive Training Officer. As the longest serving active member of the Fire Department, Deputy Chief Lundy brings a wealth of experience to the management team. Deputy Chief Lundy has been a strong advocate for First Responder mental health within the Department and he will be a key part of the human resource team. He will continue to champion critical mental health initiatives in his new role, to ensure our members receive the support they need. Deputy Chief Lundy completes the sophisticated management team that the Board of Trustees has put in place. With the hiring of CAO Rodney Dieleman and the appointment of Jamie Holmes to Fire Chief, the Board is confident that there is a capable, com…

Salt Spring Island Fire Protection District announces new Chief Administrative Officer

The Board of Trustees is proud to introduce Mr. Rodney Dieleman as the new Chief Administrative Officer of the Salt Spring Island Fire Protection District starting June 1st, 2022. Rodney comes to us from the Province of Manitoba where he was the Director of Finance and Administration for both the Department of Environment, Climate and Parks as well as the Department of Natural Resources and Northern Development. In those roles, he administered contracts with 11 municipal fire departments, working with operating budgets exceeding $200 million dollars. Rodney has 25 years of practical experience managing complex financial systems with diverse stakeholders and is a graduate of Business Administration. Having worked in an executive capacity for the Manitoba government, Rodney is well qualified for the position and will be a tremendous asset to our community. We are lucky to have him. With the appointment of Jamie Holmes to Fire Chief and Rodney Dieleman to CAO, the Board o…

Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue quicky contain structure fire at 140 Swanson Road

At 1:48am on December 30th Salt Spring Fire was dispatched to a residential structure fire at 140 Swanson Road. Arriving on scene, crews made a rapid exterior knock down and transitioned to the interior where the fire had made entry into the attic. Given the close proximity to the staffed firehall, crews were able to quickly take care of the blaze despite the heavy snowfall. All occupants are safely accounted for and there were no injuries. We had a strong number of members turn out with the weather and poor driving conditions. Captain Warren Nuyens Salt Spring Fire Rescue

Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue attends structure fire at 257 Maliview Drive

At 11:57 on Thursday Nov. 25, 2021 Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue was dispatched to a residential structure fire at 257 Maliview Dr. At 12:10 PM, both Engine 1 and Tender 1 from the Ganges Firehall were on scene and found smoke coming from the bottom unit of a fourplex residential structure. With efficient manpower on scene from a fast response, fire crews went offensive on the fire, sending an interior team inside the structure to extinguish the fire. Crews were able to knock down the fire and contain it to the room, and unit, of origin and prevent any extension into the adjacent units. Hydro was shut off to the area to allow crews to complete their work. There was a total of three fire apparatus on scene and sixteen firefighters responded. Emergency Social Services were called to attend to provide services to the occupants that were displaced from the unit where the fire occurred. All other occupants were able to return to their units after a check of each unit was complet…

Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue appointments Jamie Holmes to Fire Chief

The Board of Fire Trustees and Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue are pleased to announce the appointment of Jamie Holmes to Fire Chief. Chief Holmes has been exceptional in his role of Acting Fire Chief since November 14, 2020. A strong leader with a wealth of experience, SSIFR is fortunate to have him at the helm. Chief Holmes has achieved 25 years of exemplary service since joining the department in 1996 as a Paid-on- Call Volunteer. He Joined the career ranks in 2002 and ascended to Deputy Chief in April 2021. Recently, Chief Holmes was awarded the British Columbia Training Officer Association Meritorious Service Medal for his decade of executive service to the association. During his 15-year tenure as training officer, our department successfully trained many volunteer Firefighters that went on to become career professionals, both here and in other departments across the country. Chief Holmes set a benchmark that members be trained to the NFPA 1001 standard, which ensure…

Deceased person located within structure fire at 671 Beaver Point Road

On October 30th, 2021, at 04:37 hrs. Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue (SSIFR) received a duty page for an unknown fire in the 600 block of Beaver Point Rd. At 04:43 hrs. that call was upgraded to a residential structure fire at 671 Beaver Point Rd. Upon arrival, at 05:02 hrs., a small 400 ft2 cabin was fully involved with fire, and the building collapsed as crews were setting up to apply water. With no driveway access to the cabin, crews had to access the building up a narrow trail. SSIFR had water on the fire at 05:08, contained the fire to the building of origin, and knocked down the visible flames by 05:15. The fire was completely extinguished by 05:44 hrs. using 5,500 gallons of water through a tender shuttle. The fire is still under investigation and no cause has been determined at this point. The crews cleared scene at 09:30 hrs. Unfortunately, a person was found deceased within the building. The scene has been handed over to the RCMP and the BC Coroner’s Office who w…

Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue Contain Structure Fire at Mineral Springs Resort on 1460 North Beach Road

On June 28th, 2021 at 18:45 Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue was called to 1460 North Beach Road, Mineral Springs Resort for a report of a commercial structure fire. Due to the distance from the firehall, the building construction and the abnormal temperatures, fire growth was rapid, and the initial crew faced an in trenched working fire. The four-story building was compartmentalized and built down a slope making access more difficult. Eight apparatus and twenty-two firefighters worked well into the night extinguishing the fire and ensuring it did not spread to the surrounding buildings or interface forest. The dry water hydrant at St. Mary Lake was utilized for the tender shuttle operation delivering over 30,000 gallons of water to the fire site. The fire is under investigation and we will continue to monitor the building for hot spots. Jamie Holmes Acting Fire Chief Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue

Ganges Fire Hall Project: New Hall Planning During COVID-19

The Board and the Advisory Committee are keenly aware of the impact of COVID-19 on the local community and the economy in planning for a replacement for the Ganges Fire Hall – the main hall and operations centre for the Island’s emergency response. We are doing the research necessary to identify actions and options and will continue to inform and engage the community in the process. As recently announced, the community volunteer-based Fire Rescue Advisory Committee and the Board of Trustees reviewed the two detailed technical reports on the status of the Ganges Fire Hall. Both reports provide conclusive evidence that the building nor the physical site are suitable for rebuilding: the site is not seismically sound, it is too small, and it would cost in the millions of dollars to retrofit. As a result, the District is now investigating the Brinkworthy site, a property the District already owns, thanks to a generous donation. Next Steps Additional items discussed at both …

Ganges Fire Hall Project: Reports Recommend New Home for Ganges Fire Hall

Project Update #3 Regarding Ganges Fire Hall With health and safety top of mind amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board and the Fire Rescue Advisory Committee now meet online to continue to work on the Fire Rescue Needs and Facilities Assessment Project. The Board and the Advisory Committee are deeply committed to creating safe, responsible solutions for fire protection and public safety, recognizing the impact of COVID-19 on our Salt Spring community. Our goal is to continue the leg work, ensure all questions are answered and be ready when the time is right to move forward. We are developing online opportunities for you to learn more and to provide feedback on any proposed options for a new fire hall. Please stay tuned for more details. Reports Recommend New Home for Ganges Fire Hall Two recent reports confirming the status of the Ganges Fire Hall were reviewed by both the Salt Spring Island Fire Protection District Board of Trustees and the Fire Rescue Advisory Co…

Salt Spring’s Firefighters - Lieutenant Peter Andress

Raised on Salt Spring by a family that supported the community through a variety of volunteer roles, it was only natural for me to follow that same path of volunteerism. In high school, I was a member of the Youth Coast Guard in Mill Bay. I was a member of the local Land Search and Rescue team for 12 years and served as chair for eight of those years. My transition to the the fire service was a natural one. As a Paid on Call (POC) firefighter, I am able to satisfy my need to be a contributing part of the community in which I was raised. This commitment to service has resulted in me also becoming a part of both the rope and water rescue teams in addition to the minimum weekly commitment of a POC. Each of these responsibilities require time, both to train as well as to share what I have learned from past training with my teammates. Becoming an officer was a natural progression, reflecting my time and energy commitments. There are times that my commitment feels like it is no…

How Safe is Your Lovely Roaring Fire?

Did you know that chimney fires are the most common fire emergencies this time of the year? - As our weather cools, and you begin enjoying your roaring fire, there are important safety tips you should know. Each year, Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue (SSIFR) is called to between 7 and 15 chimney fires. As these fires can easily spread - having already destroyed too many homes on Salt Spring - why not Burn it Smart to prevent fires in your chimney? The best way to prevent chimney fires is to: Clean, maintain, and inspect your chimney at least once a year Chimney fires are caused by accumulations of creosote, solidified flammable particulates from wood smoke. These deposits can generally be removed by annual cleanings, although chimneys with unusual configurations or extra heavy use may need care more often. When was your chimney last cleaned? Burn only clean and well-seasoned wood Burning wet or unseasoned wood creates additional creosote in your chimney. …

Fire News: Chief’s Response Report – 2018 August

Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue August 2018 incidents report. Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue (SSIFR) responded to a department record of 108 Incidents for the month of August. These were: 38 calls for assistance, 17 medical emergencies, 1 residential structure fire and 1 suspected residential structure fire , 2 commercial structure fires , 4 MVIs (motor vehicle incidents), 17 brush/grass fires or suspected fires, 10 open burn fires, 3 Hydro fires, 1 boat fire, 3 hazardous material incidents, 2 animal rescues, 1 rope rescue, 5 commercial and 3 residential alarms This month, crews were busy with wildfires, each of them successfully-contained: On August 3, SSIFR responded to our first major wildfire of the season. The fire, in a hard-to- access wooded area on Beaver Point Road, proved to be a challenge. The fire crews were effective in containing the fire. On August 21, SSIFR responded to another south end brush fire, this time on Musgrave Road. Despite drought-like cond…