A report of fireworks discharged off the Comox Valley Parkway Sunday evening had members of the Courtenay Fire Department extinguishing a small brush fire near the city.
Acting fire chief Kurt MacDonald said when he arrived on scene, a fire in the brush “ … was starting to pick up quite a bit. Myself and my duty officer knocked it down with some fire extinguishers prior to the arrival of our engine.”
He explained the report from some eyewitnesses was that two vehicles had stopped on the south side of the parkway and discharged a roman candle in the bush before speeding off in the direction of Cumberland.
“It’s bad enough that we have to contend with people discarding cigarette butts out the window. We’ve had a number of fires started with those. Definitely to have one started by fireworks this time of year it is rather shocking, for sure.”
MacDonald added there is a year-round fireworks ban in the city with the exception of Halloween. Fireworks sold within city limits are prohibited, and in regional areas they are only to be sold one week during year. In order for them to be discharged, a permit is required.
“Regardless what the conditions are around the tail end of August or early September, you’re not allowed to have them, you’re not allowed to discharge them at all. (It’s) definitely a fineable offence in some way shape or form.”
MacDonald noted public reaction has been helpful when dealing with a situation like this, or when cigarette butts are discarded.
“We had a number of people that had stopped and are trying to help us deal with it. And just the whole attitude that there’s a lot of disbelief, a lot of shock and there’s a lot of anger in the public too when they see the end result - for lack of a better word - stupidity or ignorance.”