Vancouver considers banning some butane torches over fire hazard

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The city is considering a ban on the sale of continuous flame butane torches and lighters, citing fire dangers, particularly in the Downtown Eastside.

In a report to council, staff recommend regulating the lighters and bringing in penalties for those who sell them, similar to a recent crackdown on bear spray in the city.

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Continuous flame lighters are hand-held torch-style tools that use fuel to create a very hot flame and are typically used for activities like smoking, culinary practice, metal work, and bartending. However the report notes that the continuous flame makes them prone to accidents.

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In 2023, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services expressed public safety and fire risk concerns related to the increased frequency of smoker related fires and asked the city’s chief license inspector to explore potential regulations. The number of fires was particularly high in single room occupancy buildings, or SROs, in the Downtown Eastside.

Staff say banning the lighters could increase public safety and potentially reduce the number of fire-related incidents involving these products and the strain on firefighting resources, and prevent the displacement of residents from housing.

Butane lighters that require continuous intervention by the user to produce a flame would not be included in this ban.

Businesses found violating the bylaw would be fined $1,000.

“Prohibiting the retail sale of continuous flame butane lighters addresses the risk of unnecessarily restricting access to versions of the devices that have not been deemed a safety concern and continues to provide opportunities for industries that use butane torches on a professional basis,” the report states .

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Fire officials also suggest in the report that city council write letters to the province and the federal government for regulations on the continuous flame butane lighters.

Vancouver city manager Paul Mochrie agrees with the recommendations. He wrote in the report that while it would be better to manage the hazard with provincial or federal regulation, “the serious public safety risks associated with the use of these devices in residential settings warrants consideration of a direct response” by the city.

SRO residents are 67 times more likely than other residents to experience a structure fire, according to VFRS. Fire officials say the continuous flame butane lighter is a common tool used by people who regularly smoke opioids or stimulants.

Fire officials say from 2023 to present day, continuous torches have been the probable cause in 3,128 fires. Of those, 68 per cent were in the Downtown Eastside. There have been 79 fire-related injuries, six fatalities and 379 people displaced because of these fires.

Staff requested feedback from the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, which raised concern that a ban could result in police searching or seizing these lighters, resulting in increased police interactions. VANDU worries a ban would give police an excuse to search tents and steal people’s possessions.

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The city does not have the authority to prohibit the use or possession of continuous flame butane lighters however it can regulate sales.

Council will vote on the report Wednesday.

Similar regulations were enacted to limit the escalating number of bear spray attacks in the city. A recent bylaw bans the sale of bear spray to anyone under 19 and restricts where it can be displayed.

Vancouver police said incidents of bear spray attacks, many of which involve youth, went up in the city to 721 incidents in 2022 from 429 in 2018.

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