Huge decrease in damage on 1st Halloween of fireworks ban, Vancouver fire department says

Fire officials in Vancouver reported a huge decrease indamage on the first Halloween of a city-wide ban on fireworks.

While residents across the city reported hearing and seeing fireworks despite the ban, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services saidcrews last weekend responded to 10 fewer fires caused by fireworks than last year.

Last Halloween, damage to property caused by fireworks wasestimated at $408,000 but this yearit was just$5,500, VFRS said.

Asst.Chief Dave Meers says the ban is a step in the right direction but he doesn't expect people to change their habits overnight.

"We need this to turn intoa long-term trend. It's going to take a cultural change for us to see a distinct declinein fires and risk to public safety caused by fireworks," he said.

No tickets issued

The banmeans afine of $1,000 can be issued for the sale, possession and discharge of fireworks.

Yet despite people still using fireworks in the city, police didn't issue a single ticket due to a spikein crime last weekend, according to the Vancouver Police Department (VPD).

"We saw [fireworks], we heard them, we received calls, but weweresimply too busy dealing with criminal offences, violent crimeand other public safety issues," VPD Sgt. Steve Addison said.

"We were not able to devote a lot of time to people setting off fireworksin the city."

VPD received 4,550 calls for service during the weekend, 2,418 of which were placed to 911 a 10 per cent increase on the same weekend last year.

Addison said violent incidents includedone homicide, several serious injuries and at leastfive reports ofsexualassault,and that four police officers were also assaulted.

Difficult to fine for fireworks

According to the City of Vancouver, if park rangers come across people setting off fireworks, they defertoVFRS or VPD to enforce the rule.

But thatcan be difficultfor firefighters, Meers said.

"Fire investigators can write municipal tickets.However, it's a pretty sticky thing if you're trying to chase down kids ata parkwho are shooting off roman candles at each other," he said.

"We would have to catch them in the act. We can't apprehend them because we do not have powers like the police have. We'd have to try to get their ID, to issue them a ticket."

VFRS said it recognizes there will be future challengeswith people having the ability to purchase fireworks from other municipalities not affected by the ban, or through online purchases that remain unregulated.