Fire and Rescue

What's new

As of Sept. 26, 2022, the start of open burning in the Central Okanagan is being delayed.

Local fire chiefs have agreed to hold off issuing any outdoor burning permits due to the ongoing high fire danger rating. They will continue to monitor conditions and determine a start date. Read more here.

Join the National Fire Protection Association in celebrating the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week from Oct. 9-15, 2022. This year’s campaign, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape”, works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe.

West Kelowna Fire Rescue (WKFR) is dedicated to providing emergency response, fire prevention and protection and rescue services for City of West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation residents. The department partners with fire/rescue services in other jurisdictions when needed to deal with regional, provincial and national emergencies.

9-1-1 Emergencies, Emergency Response and Wildfire Preparedness

Call 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency or if you see smoke.

In the event of a forest fire or natural disaster go to cordemergency.ca for information on evacuation alerts and orders, emergency reception centre locations, and other important details including how to safely return to your home after a flood or wildfire.

A last–minute checklist for protecting your home and property from wildfire.

Wildfire preparedness guide

This guide will help you prepare your household, protect your property and learn what to do if a wildfire is close to your community.

Wildfire Danger Rating

For the current rating, see the BC Wildfire Service's West Kelowna Fire Danger Rating. Fire danger ratings can change significantly during fire season, from approximately May to October.

To learn more about wildfire response in British Columbia, including a list of active fires, official danger ratings throughout the province and how to prevent forest and grass fires, please visit BC Wildfire.

Campfires, Fire Pits, Fireworks and Open Burning

Campfires

Effective Sept. 14, 2022, campfires are permitted in most Central Okanagan areas.

With appropriate safety precautions to prevent the spread of a fire, campfires are once again allowed within the Regional District of Central Okanagan fire protection areas (Ellison, Joe Rich, North Westside, Wilson’s Landing), the City of West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation reserves #9 and #10, District of Lake Country and District of Peachland. Anyone having a campfire must:

ensure the fire is always attended
have tools and water on hand to contain the fire
make sure it is fully extinguished

Fireworks

Fireworks - only professional public displays are permitted once a license has been obtained from the Fire Chief.

Burning Permits/Open Burning

As of Sept. 26, 2022, the start of open burning in the Central Okanagan is being delayed. Read more here.

Open burning season is typically from Oct. 1 to April 30, but local fire chiefs may shorten the season in the interest of public health and safety.

To obtain a burning permit, call:

778-797-3200 Ext. 1
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (excluding holidays), closed noon to 1 p.m.

Check today's Air Quality/Venting conditions.

Fire House #30

On Feb. 1, 2022, the City acquired a residential dwelling at 2406 Drought Road, which is slated to be the future home of Fire House #30. This move to centralize WKFR administration from Fire Hall #32 and other satellite locations to Fire House #30.

Once operational it will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday - Friday.

Community members can come to Fire House #30 for:

Burning permits
Delivery of public education programs

Bylaws

Four primary bylaws relate to West Kelowna Fire Rescue operations and regulate such things as burning, campfires, fees and charges, fire hydrants, fireworks and nuisance smoke:

Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2010, No. 0093
City of West Kelowna Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 0095
City of West Kelowna Fire Rescue Establishment and Operations Bylaw 2010 No. 0114
Smoke Control Regulatory Bylaw No. 773

Visit the bylaw page for a complete list of West Kelowna bylaws.

Firefighter Recruitment - Career

Firefighting is a challenging and demanding occupation. Firefighters must respond quickly and work effectively as part of a vital team.

Check careers.westkelownacity.ca for available recruitment opportunities.

Firefighter Recruitment - Paid on Call

Minimum requirements at time of application are:

Resident of the City of West Kelowna or Westbank First Nation Tsinstikeptum 9 or 10
Valid BC Driver's Licence, with no more than 6 points and no prohibitions or suspensions in the past 3 years
Clear criminal record
Doctor's consent to participate in physical fitness testing

The Paid On-Call recruit training program is an 18 month process comprised of four hours on Tuesday evenings and one mandatory weekend per month. The training is designed to give the necessary skills to be a Paid On-Call member with West Kelowna Fire Rescue. Training topics will cover Emergency Medical First Responder 3 with AED and Spinal, NFPA 1001, S100/S130 Wildland Firefighter and JIBC Live Fire 1.

Open Burning and Regional Air Quality Program

Our community cares about clean air. Outdoor burning regulations provide residents greater protection from the impact of concentrated smoke.

To learn more about outdoor burning regulations, please visit the Regional Air Quality website.

If you have questions or require more information, please contact the Regional Air Quality Program via email or by phone at 250-469-8408.