B.C. fire chiefs urge drivers with burning vehicles to use highway medians to prevent wildfires

A Vancouver Island fire department is warning drivers that a burning vehicle could spark a wildfire — and that where you pull over matters.

Deep Bay Fire Rescue, a volunteer department northwest of Qualicum Beach, says that on divided highways, motorists with vehicle fires should move into the centre median if it’s safe to do so. The guidance, posted to Facebook on July 30, follows a suspected car fire that ignited a major blaze near Peachland, B.C., prompting the evacuation of 400 homes and the closure of Highway 97 and the Okanagan Connector.

Chief George Lenz says parking a burning vehicle on the roadside can ignite nearby vegetation, especially in tinder-dry, windy conditions. A centre median, he notes, not only reduces that risk but also allows firefighters easier access without closing entire lanes of traffic. On two-lane highways, drivers should instead seek pullouts or areas away from dry grass and brush.

Lenz adds his crews have fought multiple grass fires sparked by vehicle exhaust pipes, some spreading across half an acre before being contained. “In dry weather, you can’t predict how quickly fire will spread or where the wind will push it,” he said.

Dan Derby, president of the Fire Chiefs Association of B.C., echoes the safety advice: turn off the engine to cut fuel supply, evacuate immediately, and don’t return for personal belongings. He also warns against opening the hood, which can feed the flames with oxygen.

While Statistics Canada reports an average of over 1,100 vehicle fires annually between 2017 and 2021, the B.C. Wildfire Service says human activity caused about 30 per cent of the province’s wildfires last year. Under B.C.’s Wildfire Act, off-road vehicles on provincial land must have spark arrestors — standard on newer models but a necessary retrofit for older ones.

Authorities stress that in a season of drought and high fire danger, quick action and smart positioning of a burning vehicle can make the difference between an isolated incident and a fast-moving wildfire.