News release

Pender Island emergency crews respond to structure fire

January 9, 2026 - Pender Island, British Columbia
From: Outer Gulf Islands RCMP

Content

File #2025-964

On December 30, 2025, just before noon, Outer Gulf Islands RCMP responded to the 1200 block of Port Washington Road following a report from Pender Island Fire Rescue regarding a structure fire.

The fire was first noticed by BC Hydro crews who had recently arrived on the island and observed smoke billowing from the roof of the residence. Pender Island Fire Rescue quickly attended the scene, confirmed the home was unoccupied, and began fire suppression efforts.

Once the fire was extinguished, the initial investigation determined the cause to be electrical in nature.

"At this time, from the information gathered at the scene, the fire is not believed to be suspicious in nature" , Said Sergeant Kimberly Graham, Detachment Commander for the Outer Gulf Islands RCMP. " Fire rescue suspect the cause of the fire to be a space heater left running in the bathroom". 

Seasonal homeowners are encouraged to ensure all non‑essential electronics are turned off before leaving their property, as unattended devices can pose a significant fire risk.

Contacts