The Williams Lake Fire Department (WLFD) is looking for new members to join its team as the city prepares for another busy year of emergency calls in Williams Lake, British Columbia. The department is launching a recruitment drive to find local people interested in serving as paid on-call firefighters.
Public information sessions are set for March 3 and March 10, 2026, at the fire hall located at 230 Hodgson Road. Both meetings start at 7:30 p.m. and will give residents a chance to learn about the training and the work involved in the role.
Residents who are 19 or older and physically fit are encouraged to apply, even if they have never worked in emergency services before. According to the recruitment materials and the Reporter’s Brief, new recruits will go through an initial training program (described in the recruitment materials as six months) to meet professional standards (NFPA 1001), with training costs covered by the city.
This intake of new staff comes after a record-breaking year in which the department responded to 512 calls in 2025. Fire Chief Evan Dean says the goal is to ensure the community has enough trained people to respond quickly to structural fires and the growing threat of wildfires.
The city is currently working on wildfire protection projects, including pile burning to reduce fuel for fires (work this winter has been planned near Westridge, Tower Crescent and Airport Road). These new positions will help the department maintain its fast response times and support the city’s long-term safety plans.
