Fire trucks are ready to battle blazes on Vancouver Island's busiest ski hill for the first time after property owners approved a plan to pay for the service. In February 2015 three chalets in the Mount Washington resort village burned down as residents stood by helpless. Now, Oyster River Fire Rescue, located near the base of the mountain, will respond to 911 calls for structural fires. Full-time Mount Washington residents will also be trained as volunteer firefighters, with the potential to become an independent fire hall in the future. For now the 35-minute drive up the mountain from the Oyster River detachment means the service will provide a "defensive firefighting capability," Bast said.

Source: CBC News December 05, 2017 21:12 UTC