Cherry Creek Fire Department

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Port Alberni, BC
Cherry Creek Fire Department

Cherry Creek FD proudly provides Fire Suppression and First Responder services since 1962 Welcome to Cherry Creek Fire.

We serve the community of Cherry Creek located at the entrance of the Alberni Valley. The goal of our Facebook is to tell our story, what we are doing and how you can be involved. We are a department of men and women from varied backgrounds taking great pride in our ability to serve and protect our neighbors. The Cherry Creek Fire Department and its members are committed to protecting life and pro

perty during an emergency. We may never know what we will encounter on each call, but we will always proceed with the same level of professionalism, commitment, and service no matter the situation.

06/09/2026

Another brush fire, another extinguished and overhauled fire.

Why is overhauling a fire important?

Once the visible flames have been knocked down, the job isn’t over. Overhaul is the process of finding and extinguishing any remaining heat sources to ensure the fire is completely out and cannot rekindle.

Brush fires can smoulder underground in roots, duff, peat, or rotten stumps for hours or even days before reigniting and spreading again. A fire may appear extinguished on the surface while still burning below ground. Through a thorough overhaul process, firefighters work to ensure this does not happen.

Some of the methods firefighters use during overhaul include:

🔥 Digging a fire guard around the perimeter to prevent any hidden fire from spreading.

🔥 Separating, spreading, and turning over vegetation, logs, roots, and debris to expose hidden heat.

🔥 Using tools such as Pulaskis, shovels, chainsaws, and thermal imaging cameras to locate and extinguish hot spots.

🔥 Cold trailing—slowly working along the fire’s edge and using bare hands (when safe to do so) to check the ground, ash, roots, logs, and vegetation for signs of remaining heat.

🔥 Creating “soup”—thoroughly soaking hot spots and mixing water with soil and debris until everything is saturated and cooled, often leaving standing water behind.

A thorough overhaul is one of the most important steps in brush fire suppression. Taking the time to find and extinguish every hot spot helps prevent rekindles, protects surrounding areas, and keeps our community safe. 🚒🌲🔥

06/07/2026

Achievement Acknowledgment

Three of our dedicated firefighters recently attended an Air Brakes Course hosted by the Sproat Lake Volunteer Fire Department and taught by Proactive Road Safety Inc.

FF Xavier Dandavino, FF Larissa McGillawee, and FF Steph Maciol, who attended the theory and practical portion’s alongside members from the Sproat Lake Volunteer Fire Department and Beaver Creek Volunteer Fire Department. All three successfully passed their practical assessments and will now move on to the written examination through ICBC.

An Air Brake Endorsement (code 15) is required to operate any of our fire apparatus, as our fire engines utilize air brake systems. This training ensures our members have the knowledge and skills necessary to safely operate these critical emergency vehicles.

It is always a pleasure to train alongside other volunteer fire departments. Opportunities like these allow members to build relationships, share knowledge and experiences, and strengthen the partnerships that support our communities when they are needed most.

Well done to all three firefighters on this accomplishment, and best of luck on the written exam! 🚒👏

06/04/2026

CCFD Responds to Another Brush Fire Behind Walmart

CCFD responded to reports of smoke in the area behind Walmart at 9:24 PM Wednesday evening. Due to the location of the incident being near the boundary of both jurisdictions, Port Alberni Fire Department (PAFD) was also dispatched.

Upon arrival, crews from both departments located an unattended, smouldering brush fire approximately 10 feet by 10 feet in size. Firefighters worked together to extinguish the fire, overhaul hot spots, and establish a fire guard around the affected area to prevent further spread.

As the fire was unattended and considered suspicious in nature, RCMP attended the scene and are investigating.

Units Attended:
🚒 CCFD Truck 30
🚒 CCFD Engine 33
🚒 PAFD Engine 1
🚓 RCMP x2

We would like to thank PAFD and RCMP for their assistance and continued partnership in keeping our communities safe.

05/30/2026

This past week marked the finale of our annual wildfire training refresher.

Over the last month, our firefighters have been hard at work completing refresher training on the specialized skills required for wildfire response.

As we transition into wildfire season, much of our equipment changes to better suit these incidents. Our hoses, nozzles, appliances, and even personal protective equipment (PPE) are swapped for lighter, more compact wildfire-specific gear. This equipment is designed to be carried and deployed efficiently in challenging terrain and dense vegetation. While our structural firefighting equipment is essential for building fires, it is often heavier and bulkier than what is needed for wildland operations. We are still always equipped to manage structure fire incidents.

Training topics included wildfire-specific strategies and tactics, sprinkler protection systems, hose deployments, appliances, nozzles, water supply setups, and other operational considerations to ensure our members are prepared for the season ahead.

Our training program is designed to build progressively. We begin with classroom refreshers and equipment reviews, followed by practical exercises focused on hose deployment and operational setups. Each session concludes with a debrief, allowing crews to discuss what went well, identify areas for improvement, and apply those lessons during the next training evolution.

The final two training nights consisted of realistic wildfire scenarios. Crews responded to mock brush fires, assessed changing conditions, developed action plans, and made critical tactical decisions to safely extinguish the fires.

We are proud of the dedication our members have shown throughout this training program and appreciate the time they continue to invest in maintaining their skills. Their commitment helps ensure Cherry Creek Fire Department remains prepared for the challenges of wildfire season.

05/26/2026

Achievement Acknowledgement:

Over the last four weekends, six firefighters dedicated their time at the Fire Department completing the First Responder course. CCFD is proud to announce they have all successfully completed the course!

A First Responder in British Columbia provides immediate lifesaving care and stabilization within their scope of practice until higher levels of care arrive. They perform patient assessments, CPR and AED use, airway management, oxygen therapy, bleeding control, spinal precautions, trauma care, emergency childbirth, administer approved medications, and manage a wide range of medical emergencies. First Responders play a critical role in the early moments of an incident, where rapid interventions can significantly improve patient outcomes and save lives.

Left to right:
FF Stuart Stephens, FF Tyler Cheetham, FF Hayden Mebs, FF Stephanie Maciol, FF Xavier Dandavino, Captain Jeff Findlay, Captain and Instructor Ryan Devries

Congratulations to these six members on this accomplishment! Their next step will be completing their licensing written exam, after which they will be able to practice within their new scope.

This course could not have been possible without the support of those who took time to stop in and assist throughout the training. A sincere thank you to FF Larissa McGillawee, FF Darren Bondue, Captain Wes Kovacs, Lt Serena Pistotnik, and Lt Luke Hawser for helping make this course a success.

05/21/2026

Update: The fire is in BCWS jurisdiction.

Original: CCFD is aware of a brush fire near the Motorcross Track at the end of Milligan Rd. BC Wildfire Service is responding as well.

Please stay away from the area to ensure space for firefighters.

05/20/2026

CCFD is aware of a brush fire near Locke Rd. This fire is in BC Wildfire Service response area and they will be actioning the fire.

CCFD has a duty officer and crew on scene assisting.

05/17/2026

CCFD responds to third fire in less than a week.

Yesterday, just before 10:00 AM, CCFD was dispatched following reports of a boat fire in the area of Old Nanaimo Hwy.

Engine 33 arrived on scene to find a fully involved boat fire with nearby exposures including a large garage and surrounding bushes. Crews deployed three attack lines while Engine 31 completed a forward lay to Engine 33 to establish a water supply.

Firefighters worked to protect nearby exposures and completed overhaul operations to extinguish all remaining hot spots. Inspection holes were also cut to ensure there was no hidden fire extension or remaining hot spots. The fire was successfully contained to the boat with no extension to surrounding structures or vegetation.

This fire is not considered suspicious and is not related to the recent brush fires.

The call does not end once we clear the scene. Our members perform a gross decontamination process on scene, followed by further decontamination procedures back at the hall. This helps remove harmful contaminants from structural firefighting gear and reduces long-term exposure risks.

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of line-of-duty deaths within the fire service, highlighting the importance of decontamination practices and firefighter health and safety.

🚒 Engine 33 – 5 members
🚒 Engine 31 – 5 members
🚒 Support Truck 32 – 1 member
🚑 BCEHS – 1 unit

05/16/2026

CCFD Officers Attend BC Training Officers Conference in Campbell River

CCFD was proud to have Lt. Serena Pistotnik and Lt. Luke Hawser attend the BC Training Officers Conference in Campbell River on behalf of the department.

A big thank you to Campbell River 2 Hall POC, Campbell River Fire Fighters Union and British Columbia Fire Training Officers Association for organizing a great conference. Events like these bring together firefighters and officers who are passionate about the fire service and ongoing education. The opportunity for networking, education, expanding knowledge, and refreshing skills is invaluable and helps strengthen our ability to better serve our communities.

Another thank you to Qualicum Beach Fire Rescue for hosting the Water at Work course and pumping throughout both days. We would also like to recognize the instructors who travelled from afar to share their knowledge and experience. Their commitment to training and mentorship plays an important role in developing firefighters and officers across the province.

05/14/2026

CCFD responded to a reported brush fire shortly after 10:00 PM last night in the area of Coombs Country Candy along the roadside.

We would like to thank the members of the public who safely stopped to report the incident to 911 and assist in containing the fire until crews arrived on scene.

The circumstances surrounding the fire are considered suspicious. Information obtained from members of the public at the scene was provided to the RCMP for follow-up investigation.

This information ultimately led to an individual being located in the nearby area.

Address

5920 Cherry Creek Road
Port Alberni, BC
V9Y8R7

Telephone

+12507232254

Website

http://cherrycreekfire.ca/

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