Emergency lines lit up over the weekend because of firework displays while people celebrated Diwali. The Hindu festival is marked with fireworks and firecrackers. On Sunday night, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service says its 911 centre received 79 calls related to fireworks. The WFPS also says over the weekend, 311 received 100 calls related to bylaw enforcement and fire code complaints, likely connected to fireworks. Coun. Jasmine Brar (Waverley West) says her office is still receiving complaints about people shooting off fireworks in the middle of the night. She says celebrations are important, but residents come first. “Children need to sleep, they have to go to school,” Brar said. “People work the next day, elderly parents and pets should feel safe.” There were several comments posted on Brar’s Facebook page. “I have never heard it so loud (like bombs going off…3 plus hours),” wrote one person. “I thought there was shooting in my area. Scary,” wrote another. One person who said they celebrate Diwali said it was “excessive.” The city has noise bylaws and firework use requires a free permit. They also cannot be set off within 30 metres of a building. “People are shooting from their driveways, from the parks,” Brar said. After similar concerns were raised by Brar’s predecessor, Janice Lukes, a city working group was formed to look at beefing up regulations. A report in April showed the number of fireworks related complaints far exceeded the number of permits issued, meaning many are being set off illegally. It also said there are not enough prevention officers to enforce the rules. Brar says that needs to change, and they should look at increasing fines for noncompliance. “Sometimes the hard decisions have to be made,” Brar said. Hindu Society of Manitoba President Anita Roy says those behind organized Diwali fireworks celebrations had permits and were done by 11 p.m. on Sunday. “They need to make sure that people…are not allowed the private backyard fireworks, out on the street,” Roy said. The WFPS is set to release a report on fireworks in the New Year.
