Request technical assistance or fire investigation support

The Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC) provides technical assistance on a variety of fire operations, training, and life safety topics.

Support and assistance for fire investigations under certain conditions or in high-risk situations is also provided, including the following situations:

• All suspicious or fatal fires, and/or assistance with any fire investigations
• Orders to close a building
• Situations that are considered an immediate threat to life under Section 25 of the Fire Services Act
• Imminent threat of a major emergency, where once started, has the potential to result in a serious threat to public safety or environmental emergency in a community

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Request assistance

After-hours and emergencies

Outside of regular business hours and emergency call:

• 1-800-663-3456 (toll-free)

During regular business hours

During regular business hours contact your local fire service advisor:

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Types of assistance provided

Technical assistance

Fire service advisors are located throughout the province to assist and advise fire departments on issues or concerns that may come up in daily operations.

They can:

• Provide expert advice, guidance and support best practices for fire departments, including assistance in fire investigations, inspection best practices, assistance reporting fires, minimum training standards, and connecting them with support for fire prevention and public education activities including FireSmart
• Provide direction for departments wanting to participate in the provincial wildfire services group that may be required for structure protection in a provincial wildfire emergency
• Support and ensure oversight to the local assistants to the fire commissioner (LAFC) and provide advice about administration and enforcement of the Fire Services Act and the British Columbia Fire Code and if necessary, through provincial fire orders

Fire investigation support

Local assistants to the fire commissioner must report fires to the OFC according to the following criteria:

• All fatal fires or critical injury incidents (immediate)
• Explosions (immediate)
• Fires of a suspicious nature (immediate)
• Fires of unusual or complex origin or circumstance, such as unusual smoke or fire spread, or which involve circumstances that may result in widespread public concern like an environmental hazard

The deputy fire commissioner may assign an investigator to attend immediately, depending on the circumstances and time the notification is received.