Mill Bay Fire Rescue

05/05/2026

🔥 Campfire bans are coming early this year.

Starting this Thursday, May 7, all campfires (Category 1) and open fires are prohibited in Mill Bay, Cobble Hill, and across the Island. This is one of the earliest bans we’ve seen in recent years, but with the dry conditions we're seeing, the Coastal Fire Centre is making the call to keep our communities safe.

This ban includes more than just the fire pit. Fireworks, sky lanterns, and burn barrels are also off-limits. If you have a wood-fired pizza oven or hot tub, those are restricted too unless they’re vented through a permanent building flue.

We know sitting around the fire is a big part of Island life, but we need your help to prevent human-caused wildfires. Let's keep Mill Bay and Cobble Hill safe as we head into a dry season.

Please check the BC Wildfire Service for any extra details, and thanks for doing your part to protect the neighborhood.
https://blog.gov.bc.ca/bcwildfire/coastal-fire-centre-enacting-open-fire-prohibitions/

📸: Photo courtesy of BC Wildfire Service.

04/20/2026

Ever wonder who oversees your local fire department? The Mill Bay Fire Protection District is having their Annual General Meeting on April 28th, at 7:00pm.

The Fire Protection District is actually run by a board of elected residents, your neighbours, who provide oversight to ensure the department is always serving the public interest.

While we handle the emergencies, the District handles the "big picture" business. This includes managing financials, navigating legislation, and planning for major capital projects like new fire trucks.

It’s a great way to meet the trustees, hear updates on our future plans, and stay connected with what’s happening in Mill Bay. We hope to see you there!

More about the FPD: https://mbfd.ca/department/trustees/

04/16/2026

Get up to $4,000 back for FireSmarting your home!

Wildfire season is around the corner, and the Emergency Management Cowichan team wants to help you get ready. We know the cost of home safety upgrades add up, so they're offering rebates to help cover the bill.

If you've been thinking about replacing an old roof, swapping out siding, or clearing out that overgrown hedging, now is the time.

Step one is simple: Book a free FireSmart home assessment. They'll come by, take a look, and give you a plan that works.

Let's keep our community safe this summer.

Book your assessment here: https://emcowichan.ca/firesmart-home-assessment-request/

03/19/2026

Some of you might be waking up to a dark house this morning..

At 0455 Mill Bay Fire was paged out to a single vehicle MVI on the TCH in the southbound lanes. Crews arrived on scene to a tractor trailer that had left the highway near Sheppard Rd. The vehicle made contact with a power pole which caused power to be knocked out to the area.

There were no injuries however crews were sad to see that the “Welcome to Mill Bay” sign was knocked off and found laying in the highway.

BC Hydro is now on scene and a tow truck will be arriving shortly to coordinate removing the vehicle and securing the compromised power pole.

Please watch your speed in the area as our partners from Encom, RCMP, Hydro, and towing continue to clean up the incident.

Check https://www.bchydro.com/power-outages/app/outage-map.html for latest hydro updates.

Find current power outages on a map.

03/12/2026

🚒 A great visit at the fire hall! 🚒
Yesterday we welcomed 20 children from the George Bonner Strong Start program for a visit to the fire hall.

The group toured the station, learned a bit about fire safety, and of course got to check out all the fire trucks up close.
It was a great morning and we think the parents had just as much fun as the kids did!

Thank you to the George Bonner Strong Start group for coming by to spend some time with us. We always enjoy sharing what we do with the youngest members of our community.

02/28/2026

💪🔥 Thank You, Mill Bay & Cobble Hill! 🔥💪

Because of your generosity, we collected $4,800 for Muscular Dystrophy Canada during our Fill the Boot campaign.

Every donation - big or small - adds up. And once again, our community showed up in a big way.

We’re proud to represent Mill Bay and Cobble Hill in supporting a cause that means a great deal to the fire service across Canada.

Thank you for stopping, donating, and supporting the work being done for individuals and families living with neuromuscular disorders.

12/19/2025

Last night’s Christmas Fire Truck Parade was one for the books. We handed out a ton of candy canes, met so many familiar and new faces and as always, were blown away by the generosity of our community.

Seeing streets lined with neighbours, kids waving, and donations ready at the curb is exactly what this event is about. We’re proud to serve a community that shows up like this every time.

Thanks to you, we collected a huge haul of food and over $2,000 in cash donations for the CMS Food Bank, directly supporting families in Mill Bay, Cobble Hill, and Shawnigan Lake. Someone even donated a whole turkey!

From all of us at the Mill Bay Fire Department — thank you for the support, the smiles, and the holiday spirit. ❤️

12/16/2025

🎄🚒 REMEMBER, TOMORROW NIGHT: MBFD Christmas Truck Parade! 🚒🎄

We’re out tomorrow with decorated fire trucks, touring Mill Bay and Cobble Hill from 6–9 PM, December 17th.

✅ Two simultaneous routes (Mill Bay + Cobble Hill)
✅ We’ll be collecting non-perishable food + cash donations for the CMS Food Bank (supporting Mill Bay, Cobble Hill, and Shawnigan Lake)
✅ Candy canes for the kids

After each route, we’ll stop for a while so you can come say hi, drop off donations, and grab hot chocolate:

📍 Mill Bay stop: Deloume Park
📍 Cobble Hill stop: Farmer’s Institute Hall

If we miss your street, meet us at the end stops — we’d love to see you. 🎅☕

More details and maps: https://mbfd.ca/department/truck-parade/

12/09/2025

🎄🚒 They’re Big. They’re Red. And They’re Coming to Town! 🚒🎄

Get ready for the Mill Bay Fire Department’s Annual Christmas Fire Truck Parade — Wednesday, December 17th, from 6–9 PM!

Watch for our decorated fire trucks lighting up the streets of Mill Bay and Cobble Hill, joined by Santa and his MBFD elves spreading holiday cheer!

🎅 We’ll be handing out candy canes, collecting non-perishable food items, and bringing the boot around for donations in support of the CMS Food Bank, which directly helps families in Cobble Hill, Mill Bay, and Shawnigan Lake.
👉 Learn more about their work: cmsfoodbank.org

At the end of our routes, we’ll stop for hot chocolate and visits with Santa at two locations:
📍 Deloume Park (Mill Bay)
📍 Farmer’s Institute Hall (Cobble Hill)

We can’t wait to share the magic of the season with you all — see you along the route!
Full details at: mbfd.ca/department/truck-parade/

12/07/2025

🔥 Thinking About Joining Mill Bay Fire? Now’s the Time! 🔥

Have you been considering joining our team of professional Paid-On-Call Volunteers? There’s no better time than now! Get your application submitted to be part of our January 2026 Recruit Class!

No experience? No problem.
We provide all the training you need to become a fully qualified NFPA 1001 Firefighter.
As a member of our team, you’ll receive:

💰 Paid attendance for calls, practices, and community events
💪 Free access to Valley View Fitness
🩺 Eligibility for a Health Spending Account after one year of service
🔥 High-quality training, teamwork, and the opportunity to make a real impact in your community

Ready to learn more or request an application package?

👉 Visit our website: mbfd.ca/join/

Already started your application and waiting on your medical or criminal record check?
📞 Reach out to us — we can book your interview while you wait!

Join the team. Learn new skills. Serve your community.