STACEY PANS NEW FIRE REGULATION

Nelson's Fire and Rescue Service now has the power to charge a fee for
service to non-residents and in cases where fires are started by
illegal activities, after city council approved changes to the fire
bylaw Monday night.

The new changes will allow the fire department to charge a minimum of
$300 when responding to an incident caused by a non-resident, with
charges going up to $400 per hour after the first 60 minutes.

While there was little objection to most of the bylaw - which council
has debated before - Councillor Marg Stacey said she worried the new
charge for fires could threaten civil liberties.

Stacey said she was concerned the department would now have the power
to carry out a "warrant-less search" if they suspected a grow-op or
other illegal activity posed a safety risk.

"Suppose the police say to you, 'we think there's a grow-op in the
building. We think that's dangerous.' Would you go in?" she asked
Nelson Fire Chief Simon Grypma.

But Grypma said the charge will only apply in situations where the
department has already been called to a fire, and the department's
ability to enter a home is strictly controlled by the Fire Services
Act. Under the act, entry is only allowed when there's a public hazard.