The theme of this year's Fire Prevention Week is the importance of smoke detectors, and Hay River fire chief Travis Wright is committed to the cause. 

"Fire Prevention Week is a great chance to engage the public and inform them of stuff that maybe they don’t think about that often, like smoke alarms," Wright said. "Smoke alarms have been around a long time, and still we see homes where they’re not installed, and that can lead to fatalities.

"It’s so important. It is the first line of defence. Your smoke alarm can save your life," he added.

Fire Prevention Week runs from Oct. 6-12 this year. Over the course of the week, Hay River's fire department will be posting fire prevention information to social media. They will also host an open house at their fire hall on Oct. 6. 

"We’re going to have an open house here with information for parents, and we’re also going to have packages for all the kids," Wright said. "We’ll have an obstacle course as well for the kids, as well as truck tours, and fire hall tours, and some food and stuff. We’re just trying to promote overall fire safety.

“I’ll have some smoke alarms here to give away too," he added. "If anybody doesn’t have one, I’ll be giving one to them because I want to make sure they have one."

Smoke detectors should be installed on every floor of a home, and ideally in every bedroom and the areas leading to bedrooms, Wright said. 

"If there’s an area that’s not got coverage, you should have an alarm."

There have been 11 fires in Hay River in 2024, which is down slightly from the average, according to the fire chief. Cooking is among the most common causes of accidental fire.

"It's sort of a broad area — whether people are using things improperly or if its negligence — but cooking in general is a large cause," he said. "That’s definitely one of the leading causes, I think, in the Northwest Territories."

Wright is confident in the fire department's ability deal with any incidents that arise in the community, but noted that fire prevention efforts are the best way to avoid catastrophe. 

"Our guys are trained to a high level — the same level for any firefighter in the south, in the cities," he said. "We pride ourselves on being able to handle whatever we get into. 

“We can always do a better job of promoting [fire prevention], and that’s something we have been working on."

The department's efforts will ramp up during Fire Prevention Week, and Wright is excited to get the word out to his fellow residents. 

"It’s something that we’re really happy to put on," he said. "It’s a good opportunity to educate yourself on fire safety’s importance in homes, fire escape planning, and smoke alarms."