Columbia Valley Rural Fire & Rescue Services

05/25/2026

Please note this important safety recall of Secura Air Fryers due to fire and burn hazard.

A wire connection in the air fryer can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards. As of May 14, 2026, the company has received no reports of incident or injury in Canada.

05/20/2026

While this prohibition does not include Category 1 campfires or Category 2 open fires, it is important to continue exercising caution when doing burning of any kind. To learn more about open fire and safer burning visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/.../fire-bans-and.../open-burning

Effective at 12:00 noon Pacific Time on Thursday, May 21, 2026, Category 3 open fire will be prohibited throughout the Southeast Fire Centre.

A Category 3 open fire refers to any fire that burns:
- Material concurrently in 3 or more piles, each not exceeding 2 metres in height and 3 metres in width
- Material in one or more piles, each exceeding 2 metres in height or 3 metres in width
- One or more windrows, not exceeding 200 metres in length or 15 metres in width
- Stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 hectares (2,000 square metres)

Also prohibited is the following equipment and activities:
- Air curtain burners
- Carbonizers

For full details, please visit: https://blog.gov.bc.ca/bcwildfire/category-3-open-fire-to-be-prohibited-in-the-southeast-fire-centre-2/

While this prohibition does not include Category 1 campfires or Category 2 open fires, it is important to continue exercising caution when doing burning of any kind. To learn more about open fire and safer burning visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status/prevention/fire-bans-and-restrictions/open-burning

05/05/2026

When an evacuation alert or order is issued, every minute matters.

Sign up for the Regional Evacuation Notification System (ENS) powered by Voyent Alert! to receive free, anonymous notifications for the East Kootenay during critical events such as wildfires, floods, and hazardous materials incidents.

This service is available to all East Kootenay residents and property owners — including those in rural RDEK, municipal, and First Nations communities, as well as second-home owners.

Register online: ca.voyent-alert.com/vras/register.html

To receive alerts, you must:
• create an account
• add at least one East Kootenay location
• make sure your pin is placed accurately

You can choose to receive notifications by text, phone call, or through the Voyent Alert! App.

*If you do choose to use the app, make sure it is kept up to date to receive notifications.

Important: This system will only be used for evacuation alerts and orders.
There will be a test of the Evacuation Notification System on Monday, May 11, so the time to sign up is now.

For broader emergency information, follow the RDEK on social media, local media, local municipal channels, or sign up for an RDEK email group at www.rdek.bc.ca/emailgroup

05/05/2026

Along with the already increasing fire danger, a seasonal reminder that the sale of fireworks is prohibited within all electoral areas of the RDEK from May 1 to October 1.

05/05/2026

Please help support Windermere Fire Fighter siblings Eisley and Lee Tan in their upcoming Fire Fighter Stair Climb Challenge in support of Wellspring Cancer Support. We are proud to once again have members participating in this event!
https://give.wellspring.ca/fundraisers/tansiblingswfd?fbclid=IwY2xjawRmFTRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETExN3dBcnBTbmFaNHFwb2Jwc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhx4Vmk5fQ0-Y2e-SLyADx2-d_o5xWNZh_1eZsdPESpeoX-rTCZId8m9te5q_aem_57mxmskraS2TaLTgQA1AFA

I'm raising money for a cause close to my heart and would love your support.

05/04/2026

Invermere FireSmart is hosting the screening of an important documentary this Wednesday evening at Columbia Valley Center.

05/04/2026

Please join us in celebrating our Fire Fighters! Not just today, but every day that they dedicate time and energy into learning, training and responding to emergencies for the safety and betterment or our communities.

05/04/2026

May 3 through 9 is National Emergency Preparedness Week. This is a national awareness initiative and an opportunity for you to take action to ensure you're prepared to protect yourself, your family, and your community during an emergency.

How do you do that?

Know the risks. Be ready for what is around you.

In BC, hazards like wildfires and floods can happen with little warning and affect every community differently. Take time to learn the risks where you live, work, and travel. Check local hazard maps, follow updates from your local government and emergency services, review trusted BC emergency information, and talk with your household about what could happen in your area.

Knowing the risks helps you make a plan, prepare your grab-and-go bag, and act quickly in an emergency. This week, we will be sharing emergency preparation information to help you prepare for the times it matters most.

Learn more here:https://tinyurl.com/jjz4wctd

04/15/2026

Reminder to PLEASE slow down and move over when passing emergency vehicles. Most people know to slow to 70kmh when the speed limit is 90kmh and above. However most do not realize you must slow to 40kmh when posted speed limit is 80kmh and under. Please be safe and help all emergency and roadside workers come home to their families every day.

04/10/2026

Today, Friday April 10, site and weather conditions have aligned and ignitions are set to begin on the District Lot 4616 prescribed burn located east of the CastleRock residential neighbourhood within the District of Invermere. We are supporting the District of Invermere and the Rocky Mountain Resource District wildfire risk reduction program for this prescribed burn.

Key goals include:
- Decrease the risk of future wildfires in the area
- Reduce the accumulations of dead wood and other combustible material
- Provide critical cross training opportunities between the BC Wildfire Service and the Invermere Fire Rescue and the Columbia Valley Rural Fire & Rescue from Windermere

Smoke may impact residents near the burn area and may be visible from Invermere and surrounding communities. Smoke may also be visible to motorists travelling along Highway 93 and Highway 95.

For more information visit: https://blog.gov.bc.ca/bcwildfire/prescribed-burn-planned-for-south-invermere-area/