Find Out What You Don’t Know- Why are Fire Routes Called Fire Routes?

My 10 year old asked me a question the other day, I have never been asked and I did not have the answer. As a 15 year vet in Real Estate and 19 year vet on fire departments,

and Dad of 12 years you would think I would know the answer to this question, and I did not! The stumping question was “Why do they call roads in the country a Fire Route?”

Here is what my research found. Fire Routes are private roads in municipalities that serve as access to properties.

These roads also provide fire and other emergency services access to private property incase of emergency.

Under Section 7.1 of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act Chapter 4 authorizes the Council to pass bylaws on these private roads.

The designation of the fire route gives fire officials the right to issue orders to the property owners. Orders would typically be no parking of vehicles permitted, shall be maintained free of

obstructions like brush clean up for equipment access and to designate all expenses are to the property owner.

So in a summary, Fire Routes are private roads that municipalities have some control over through the Fire Protection and Prevention ACT.

Fire routes are also laid out by the municipality to be in order and making properties easy to find!

Check out the video!