Image: File photo, Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media /

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Fire in Fairfield Island

Kitchen fire at Chilliwack home prompts second alarm Wednesday morning

Jun 4, 2025 | 8:35 AM

UPDATE 9:50 A.M.: Chilliwack Assistant Fire Chief Krista Minar says the swift actions of fire crews from Halls 1 and 4 resulted in minimal fire damage to the home on Bonavista Street in Fairfield Island.

The home owner had already safely called their family pet before firefighters entered the home where the fire occurred.

However, the home did sustain significant smoke damage, displacing the residents until remediation is completed.

There were no injuries to either firefighters or the public.

Initial findings suggest it was an accidental kitchen fire, Minar says.

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“Kitchen fires are a leading cause of residential fires, we encourage residents to practice simple safety habits,” Minar said in a statement. “Even when you’re not cooking, you can reduce your fire risk through good housekeeping: ensure your stovetop and surrounding areas remain clear of clutter, grease buildup, and anything that could easily catch fire. Unplug small appliances when not in use to prevent electrical fires. Regularly clean under and around appliances to prevent accumulation of dust and debris. Most importantly, ensure you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home and test them monthly, as they provide critical early warning in a fire emergency.”

Original story below:

CHILLIWACK — A report of smoke inside a Fairfield Island home Wednesday morning (June 3) prompted a substantial response from the Chilliwack Fire Department.

According to scanner traffic, Chilliwack Fire Engines 1, 4, Tower 1, the duty chief and another engine paged at 7:45 a.m. for the report of a structure fire and/or smoke from inside a house in the 10100 block of Bonavista Street in Chilliwack.

When responding firefighters asked whether there were multiple callers about the fire, emergency dispatch advised them there were multiple callers confirming the fire and said there was a report of a dog inside the home. As a result, a second alarm was activated, resulting in Engines 2, 4-2, 5 and 6, Rescue 1 and Rehab 6 being paged at 7:50 a.m.

On arrival, command personnel notified dispatch that smoke was coming from the roof. All units were to stage at Bonavista/Avalon.

At 7:55 a.m., firefighters told dispatch they had a confirmed kitchen fire, which they knocked down by 7:59 a.m., and fire crews were ventilating.

Four minutes later at 8:03 a.m., fire crews reported that primary and secondary searches were done. All other units were advised to stand down because fire crews had enough resources on scene.

Overhaul and ventilation were completed at 8:30 a.m., and B.C. Ambulance, RCMP, Fortis and Hydro were advised to stand down at 8:30 a.m. The scene was left in care of Fire Prevention 1, a secondary unit.