Fire Departments

Fire Departments in the RDN

Local Fire Protection Across the Region

The geographic area in and round the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) is served by 15 fire departments operating 24 fire halls. They provide fire protection and emergency response across all four municipalities and most unincorporated rural areas.
Fire Department Types

  • RDN-managed Departments (2): Nanoose Bay and Coombs-Hilliers.
  • Municipal Departments (4): Operated independently and are financed locally.
  • Improvement District Departments (5): Operated independently and are financed locally.
  • Volunteer Fire Department Societies (4): Four departments are run by volunteer societies serving parts of RDN Electoral Areas C, F, G, and H.

The RDN supports many of these departments through a variety of mechanisms including:

  • Mutual aid agreements
  • Operational, training and planning collaborations
  • Direct administration
  • Asset and apparatus management.
  • Property tax collection and capital funding.

Day-to-day operations are managed locally by each department.

RDN Fire Services - various departments

Find Your Fire Department

  • Locate your local Fire Protection Area 
  • Identify the fire department responsible for your local Fire Protection Area using the RDN Fire Protection Area interactive map
    • Identify low, medium and high smoke sensitivity zones 
    • Use map layers to also see your Electoral Area, watercourses, water bodies etc. 

Learn about your local fire department here: 

RDN-managed Fire Departments 

The RDN directly oversees and funds two departments including staffing, equipment, training, and operations.

Coombs-Hilliers Volunteer Fire Department 

Operates two fire halls and responds to emergencies in Coombs and Hillers in RDN Electoral Area F.

Contacts: 

  • Commbs-Hilliers Volunteer Fire Department
  • Coombs-Hilliers #1 Fire Hall, 992 Ford Road. T: 250-248-9490 (non-emergency)
  • Coombs-Hilliers #2 Fire Hall, 3241 Alberni Highway, T: 250-752-2144 (non-emergency) 

Nanoose Bay Fire Department 

Operates one fire hall and responds to emergencies in Nanoose Bay (RDN Electoral Area E) and the Englishman River subdivision in Electoral Area G.

Contact:

RDN-supported Volunteer Fire Department Societies 

Four departments are run by volunteer societies serving parts of RDN Electoral Areas C, F, G, and H. The RDN supports these departments by collecting property taxes and providing funding for their operations and equipment, while the societies manage day-to-day activities and training. 

Bow Horn Bay Volunteer Fire Department

Operates one fire hall and responds to emergencies in RDN Electoral Area H in Bowser, a portion of Horne Lake Road toward Spider Lake (not Horne Lake itself) and within Qualicum Bay.

Contact:

Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department

Operates two fire halls and responds to emergencies in the Dashwood, Dunsmuir, and Meadowood communities in RDN Electoral Areas F, G, and H.

Contact:

Errington Volunteer Fire Department

Operates two fire halls and responds to emergencies in Errington and the Englishman River area in RDN Electoral Areas F and G.

Contacts: 

  • Errington Volunteer Fire Department
  • Errington #1 Fire Hall, 960 Errington Road. T: 250-248-5601 (non-emergency)
  • Errington #2 Fire Hall, 1930 Errington Road. T: 250-248-9299 (non-emergency) 

Extension Volunteer Fire Department 

Operates one fire hall and responds to emergencies in the Extension area south of Nanaimo, in RDN Electoral Area C.

Contact:

RDN Partnerships with Municipal Fire Departments

Four departments are operated independently by municipalities.

District of Lantzville Fire Rescue (Municipality)

Operates one fire hall and responds to emergencies in Lantzville.

Contact

City of Nanaimo Fire Rescue (Municipality) 

Operates five fire halls for emergencies in Nanaimo, Protection Island, and parts of the East Wellington-Pleasant Valley area in RDN Electoral Area C.

Contacts: 

  • City of Nanaimo Fire Rescue
  • T 250-753-7311 (for all non-emergency calls)  
  • Fire Station #1, 666 Fitzwilliam Street, Nanaimo
  • Fire Station #2, 2499 Dorman Road, Nanaimo
  • Fire Station #3, 6230 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo
  • Fire Station #4, 1400 Cranberry Avenue, Nanaimo
  • Fire Station #7, 26 Pirate’s Lane, Protection Island, Nanaimo

City of Parksville Fire Rescue Department (Municipality)

Operates one fire hall and responds to emergencies in Parksville and parts of French Creek east of Drew Rd. in RDN Electoral Area G, as well as the San Pareil neighbourhood south of the city.

Contact:

Town of Qualicum Beach Fire Rescue Department (Municipality)

Operates one fire hall and responds to emergencies in Qualicum Beach, and parts of French Creek west of Drew Rd.

Contact:

RDN Partnerships with Improvement District Fire Departments

Five departments are operated independently by improvement districts.

Cranberry Volunteer Fire Department (Cranberry Improvement District)

Operates two fire halls and responds to emergencies in Cassidy and South Wellington in RDN Electoral Areas A and C.

Contacts: 

  • Cranberry Fire Hall, 1555 Morden Road. T: 250-754-6068 (non-emergency). Facebook  
  • Hallberg Road Fire Hall, 3500 Hallberg Road-owned by the RDN, and operated by the Cranberry Fire Department – please use Cranberry fire hall phone number. 

Deep Bay Volunteer Fire Department (Deep Bay Waterworks Improvement District) 

Operates one fire hall and responds to emergencies in Bowser, Deep Bay, and the Horne Lake area in RDN Electoral Area H.

Contact:

East Wellington Volunteer Fire Department (Mountain Improvement District) 

Operates one fire hall and responds to emergencies in East Wellington and the Jingle Pot area in RDN Electoral Area C.

Contact:

Gabriola Volunteer Fire Department (Gabriola Improvement District)

Operates two fire halls and responds to emergencies on Gabriola Island.

Contacts:

  • Gabriola Volunteer Fire Department 
  • Gabriola #1 Fire Hall, 730 Church Street. T: 250-247-9677 (non-emergency)
  • Gabriola #2 Fire Hall, 2400 South Road. T: 250-247-8332 (non-emergency) 

North Cedar Volunteer Fire Department (North Cedar Improvement District)

Operates one fire hall and responds to emergencies in Cedar and Yellowpoint in RDN Electoral Area A.

Contact: