New tools for Winnipeg to deal with spike in housefires

The City of Winnipeg has seen a major spike in fires in recent years.

According to numbers from the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, crews responded to 3,389 fires last year – an increase of about 33 per cent compared to 2022 and an 87 per cent increase since 2019.

The city notes the increase is largely attributed to outdoor fires.

Improving safety

To try and reduce the number of fires in Winnipeg, the city is making changes to improve safety.

This includes council’s recent changes to the Vacant Building ByLaw, which creates a new standard for boarding up vacant buildings. These changes include using thicker plywood and bracing for doors and windows, and using fasteners to make boards more difficult to remove.

The goals of these bylaw changes are to prevent break-ins and cut down on calls for service to bylaw enforcement and the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS).

“For the next year, we’re really going to be focusing on reducing the number of derelict buildings we have in the city of Winnipeg,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham.

The city added that it also increased the budget for back lane cleanup by 50 per cent this year. This means neighbourhoods at risk of fire due to excess debris will be cleaned biweekly from April to October, as well as a monthly cleanup from November to March.

“That’s where there’s mattresses or couches or bins that are full, those can become targets for people that are trying to cause trouble or arsons,” said Gillingham.

“So we’re picking up garbage every second week in those areas from April to October.”

More information on fire prevention in the city can be found online.