Vancouver fires total 4,309 in 2023: report [Video]

The annual report for Vancouver Fire Rescue Services is highlighting some major challenges as it comes off a record year for calls.

According to the report, the opioid epidemic, fires at single-room occupancy residences, and lithium ion batteries are among the biggest challenges facing firefighters.

There were more than 72,000 calls for service in 2023, up 10 per cent from the previous year. Nearly half of the calls, 48 per cent, were for medical reasons. Just over a quarter of calls were for fires and fire alarms.

Both indoor and outdoor fires increased in 2023, the report said, with a total of 4,309 blazes in the city. That continued an upward trend in fire reports noted in the last five years.

Almost two-thirds of 2023’s fires in Vancouver were caused by smoker materials.

“Smoker materials, such as lighters, matches, cigarettes, and pipes, constitute the main sources of fires in Vancouver,” …