Bottle rockets and Roman candles are back with a bang this week, ahead of Halloween on Saturday.
While public safety officials don’t want to rain on the revellers’ parade, they do want to remind anyone setting off fireworks to be aware of the rules.
“The North Vancouver RCMP will have extra patrols (with) officers on the street throughout the Halloween evening,” said North Vancouver RCMP spokesman Cpl. Richard De Jong.
Firecrackers are banned across the North Shore, with fines ranging from $200 to $500. As for fireworks, the regulations vary by municipality.
In the City of North Vancouver fireworks are not allowed and anyone caught with them could face up to a $600 fine. The district permits the pyrotechnics with certain conditions: they can only be discharged after 6 p.m. on Oct. 31 and only on private property.
The person setting off the fireworks has to be at least 18 years old and needs to have a permit from a fireworks vendor or the district.
In West Vancouver, meanwhile, fireworks are legal from Oct. 25 to 31 with a $5 permit, which can picked up at the No. 1 Fire Hall.
Roman candles, rockets and other noisemakers are legal but can’t make up more than 30 per cent of a family pack of fireworks. Fines for violating the bylaw start at $500 per offence and can reach $2,000 or more for misuse of fireworks.
The Canadian National Fireworks Association advises people to purchase fireworks from a reputable distributor or retailer to ensure they have met safety standards.
Police are also asking motorists to pay extra attention for trick-or-treaters on the streets Halloween evening.
