Community leaders call for action as Winnipeg neighbourhoods see highest structure fire rates
Posted February 12, 2026 7:07 pm.
In neighbourhoods where structure fires are reported most frequently, community leaders say the repeated blazes are eroding both safety and hope.
“We need to make this a priority,” said Darrell Warren, president of the William Whyte Neighbourhood Association.
Data from the City of Winnipeg shows several inner-city neighbourhoods have recorded the highest number of structure fire calls since 2015, with William Whyte topping the list.
Warren, who has lived in William Whyte for 65 years, said the impact goes beyond damaged buildings. While expressing deep respect for the fire crews who regularly respond to calls in the area, Warren said the frequency of fires is taking an emotional toll on residents.
“If we lose the heart of Winnipeg, then you know what, it’s going to spread,” said Warren.
“I have seniors that sit there and tell me their stories and they’re crying, because their kids want them to move out of the neighbourhood,” said Warren.
Warren said concerns about safety are not unfounded and that all levels of government must work together to address the issue, not only for current residents, but for future generations.
Top 10 neighbourhoods for structure fire calls since 2015
- William Whyte: 678
- Spence: 326
- Daniel Mcintyre: 298
- St. Johns: 296
- Centennial: 256
- West Alexander: 249
- North Point Douglas: 243
- Chalmers: 237
- Dufferin: 226
- West Broadway: 200
“When you look around your neighbourhood, in the William Whyte neighbourhood and you see the devastation there, how can you have hope that you’re going to become something, and that you might have a future,” said Warren.
Officials with the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service say they share those concerns.
“Our department takes those issues seriously and we’re trying to make efforts to improve them, but it’s the efforts of the collective community that’s making a difference,” said Scott Wilkinson, deputy chief of the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service.
Wilkinson described the fire numbers as “extremely distressing” and said collaboration between government, police and community groups such as the William Whyte Neighbourhood Association is ongoing. While the City of Winnipeg has responded to requests for additional resources, Wilkinson said enforcement alone will not solve the problem.
“We can throw all the firefighters and paramedics and communications operators that we have at it, and we can double that force, but the issue is reducing the number of fires and making the community safer. That’s really got to be where our focus is, on the prevention, the education, and solving some of these social issues to try and make a difference in those communities,” said Wilkinson.
Community leaders say without a coordinated response focused on prevention and social supports, the damage will continue, not only to buildings, but to the stability of entire neighbourhoods.
