Fewer Winnipeg firefighters dealing with more fires: City

Winnipeg’s firefighters are responding to more blazes, and the union representing them is warning that staffing is not growing at the same pace as the city’s population.

“We have less firefighters now than we did in 1981,” said Tom Bilous, the president of United Firefighters of Winnipeg.

According to the city, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to nearly 3,400 fires last year, representing a 33 per cent increase from 2022 and an 87 per cent increase since 2019.

“Frankly not surprised, maybe not surprised they were not even higher, but it validates what we have long suspected and known,” said Bilous.

The city says most of 2023’s fires can be linked to outdoor fires such as brush, trash containers, and miscellaneous outdoor property.

Winnipeg’s mayor says the city has been focused on increasing the number of back lane cleanups and has been working to crack down on vacant buildings, including beefing up standards for boarding up properties.

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“Every time we have to send fire paramedic crews and our fire crews to any burning, to any fire, we are putting them at risk,” said Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham.

As the city looks to reduce the number of fire risks in Winnipeg, the union representing firefighters says workers cannot continue to work overtime to compensate for a lack of staff.

“They are fatigued, they are exhausted, they are worn down, morale is low. Firefighting is a team sport. If you are playing one line short, you spread that pain out. That’s not bad short term, but we are going on three, four, five years of unprecedented levels,” said Bilous.