Island Fires and Precautions to Take
by: Dane Zabriskie
On October 24, I received the kind of call every islander dreads: “There’s been a fire on your island.” In that moment, my mind raced through worst-case scenarios: decades of memories lost, irreplaceable property destroyed, and the looming fear of insurance complications. Thankfully, it turned out to be a minor brush fire with no significant damage—and it wasn’t on my property! Still, the event left me contemplating fire risks more seriously. Fires have played a significant role in shaping the history of the Thousand Islands, including recent devastating incidents on Murray, Tennis, and Grindstone Islands.
In a follow-up discussion with Doug Richardson, Fire Prevention Officer, Leeds 1000 Islands Fire Service, I learned this was a typical island brush fire. It began innocuously as a controlled fire in a burning barrel. The cottage resident had extinguished the fire with water and left the island for home. However, there were small holes in the barrel's base that allowed embers to smolder in the duff below for nearly two weeks. A sudden change in weather brought high winds, reigniting the fire, allowing it to spread. An alert boater noticed the flames and reported them, allowing the Leeds and the 1000 Island Fire Service to extinguish the fire before it caused significant damage. Had the miraculous discovery of the fire been missed, Doug Richardson said that the fire might have spread quickly, consuming one or more nearby cottages and buildings.
Most of the Canadian Thousand Islands are served by the Leeds 100o Islands Fire Service, which has four fire stations (Lansdowne, Seeley’s Bay, Lyndhurst, and north of Gananoque), 90 volunteer firefighters, and two full time staff members. In addition to fire trucks and other equipment for mainland use, they have three Boston Whaler style boats stored on trailers, with one located at each of three stations. They transport portable firefighting equipment and personnel to fire locations on the water.
The water areas serviced by Leeds 1000 Islands Fire Service are extensive, and not only includes the St. Lawrence River, but also the Rideau and Gananoque River areas and the inland lakes like Charleston and Gananoque Lakes. The Lansdowne Fire Station also has one Stanley boat docked at Ivy Lea, and they expect to take delivery of a new, similar, boat to be based in Gananoque, which will be put into service for the upcoming 2025 boating season. Mutual assistance by other local fire departments (e.g. Gananoque) and the US (e.g. Clayton, Fishers Landing, Alexandria Bay, Wellesley Island) can also join a significant firefight.
Island fires comprise a sizable portion of a growing number of fire calls. Through October of 2024, there were 321 calls (nearly one per day), and roughly 40 have been water calls. Response times are at least 30 – 45 minutes, and longer if river or weather conditions interfere, if it’s nighttime, or if the boats are committed elsewhere (e.g. these boats are also used for Emergency Medical Services, transferring injured people from island properties to the mainland and for responding to boating accidents).
This incident highlights the importance of preparation and awareness. Fires on islands pose unique challenges, from extended response times to limited firefighting resources. Here are some essential precautions for island residents:
Know your location
Know your location – This includes the civic address with the formal name of the island (e.g. not Nana’s island) and the 911 address number posted on the property, latitude/longitude, and the what3words address. In a cottage, post this information on a refrigerator door or other location in plain view.
What3words
The what3words is a new nomenclature system already in wide use by emergency services. It is an equivalent to latitude and longitude coordinates but uses 3 words to identify a specific 3X3 meter square on the earth’s surface. For example, the Thousand Islands Boat Museum in Gananoque has coordinates of 44˚ 19’ 24.096” N, 76˚ 9’ 41.724” W In DMS format (or +44.32336˚, -76.16159˚ in DD format, or 44˚ 19.4016’, -76˚ 9.6954’ in DMM format, confusing, eh?). The what3word equivalent is: tint.decorative.ogling Try it out using this link and these words. Compared to navigation coordinates, the simplicity of recalling and communicating 3 words verbally or in writing is obvious. You access the system using a free phone app.
911
Report fires using 911. Don’t call the fire department, police, EMS, or other people, at least not until 911 has been reached.
911 works the same way in Canada and the US. Since mobile service reception varies along the River, you may reach a 911 location in the US to report a fire in Canada. No worries. The call will be routed to a US emergency dispatcher who will then transfer the call to the appropriate Canadian emergency services in the location of the fire. Know your location (see above).
Obtain a Fire Permit
Obtain a fire permit. This is required for any open-air fires and is free. It provides the Fire Department with location, contact details, and the nature of your planned fire. The permit includes recommendations regarding precautions to take with the type of fire you are planning. You must call 613-704-1812 on the day of your fire to hear a recorded message concerning current burning conditions and restrictions, and to register your fire for 24 hours.
Failure to file a permit can result in fines and fees, especially if the fire department is needed to extinguish a fire without a permit. Open Air Burn Permits are free to all Leeds and Thousand Islands residents, but they need to be renewed on January 1st of each new year. More information may be found here or stop by the Township office in person during normal business hours.
Prepare to be self-sufficient
Prepare to be self-sufficient. At any time, there are only one or two fire department boats in the water along the St. Lawrence River from Gananoque to Rockport. Response times will be at least 30 – 45 minutes. During the wait, you should be prepared to fight the fire. Garden hoses only work when there is electrical power and they only have relatively low water flow rates. Gas powered fire pumps are a better choice, but they need to be in working order with fresh gasoline, and the fire hose needs to be sufficiently long and in good condition. Test pumps annually and do not store gas in them in the off-season. My Honda water pump works well, but it will not start using stale gas.
Display your 911 Civic Address
Display your blue 911 civic address number. If you have multiple docks, display the number on the dock best suited for firefighters to access your property. It must be visible from the water. Turn on all the lights on the property to help firefighters find your location and greet them at the dock.
One closing thought is this. Island firefighting resources are very limited, so it is critical to minimize sending firefighters to locations only to find there is no fire or there is a well-managed fire that does not require a firefighting response. The fire permit system has been key to reducing unnecessary deployments in response to a growing number of calls reporting the smell or appearance of smoke. If possible, consider investigating the situation prior to calling the fire department.
To further reduce false alarms, the Leeds and the Leeds 1000 Islands Fire Service is considering the acquisition of a drone that can reach a potential fire location quickly and provide visual information in real time about the scale and firefighting resources that will be needed.
If anyone would like more information on Island fire safety, please feel free to contact the Leeds and the 1000 Islands Fire Department at 613 659-2415 extension 219
The author wishes to acknowledge Doug Richardson, Fire Prevention Officer, Leeds and the Leeds 1000 Islands Fire Service, who was the primary source for this article.
By Dane Zabriskie, Prince Regent Island.
Like many of us, Dane Zabriskie was shaped by his family, education, profession, and the St. Lawrence River, where he has summered annually for more five decades. And we happen to know when not on the island, Dane can be found on a Pennsylvania golf course as often as possible. Dane is also put to work each month as one of our loyal proof-readers! His work is much appreciated!
