Charge safe for Fire Prevention Week, October 5-11, 2025

Riley Ostrowski, age 8, was named Junior Fire Chief in a ceremony today at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Fire Chief Steve Dongworth made the announcement and presented Riley with a fire helmet and special certificate honouring his appointment.

Each year during Fire Prevention Week, the Calgary Fire Department appoints a Junior Fire Chief to act as Calgary’s fire safety ambassador. This program has been running since 2016 in partnership with the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

Riley’s duties will include promoting this year’s Fire Prevention Week theme, “Battery fires happen anywhere, anytime.” As part of Riley’s first day, he went for a ride in a fire engine and had lunch with firefighters and his family at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

“Our Junior Fire Chief plays an important role in helping to raise fire safety awareness for everyone, especially young people,” said Chief Dongworth. “Just like our Community Safety Team and the 1600 other firefighters in our service, the Junior Fire Chief helps to us communicate important fire safety messages with one’s family, friends and community.”

“We’re honoured to continue this meaningful partnership with the Calgary Fire Department, recognizing a remarkable child whose courage and character embody the spirit of the Junior Fire Chief program.” said Stacy Kelly, Special Events Coordinator at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. “The program helps to promote important initiatives and our shared values around safety, teamwork and leadership.”

Riley joins the Calgary Fire Department at a time when Calgary is seeing increasing fire risks from consumer and household devices due to lithium-ion battery fires.

“Even a small battery fire can pose severe risks to life and property, with some fires exploding from zero to 600 degrees within a few seconds,” said Calgary Fire Chief Steve Dongworth. “It’s important to remember that all batteries fail eventually. Because of this, battery fires can happen anywhere, anytime, and with little warning.”

“We’re seeing major incidents and in cities around the world and luckily no-one in Calgary has yet been injured in a battery fire,” said Chief Dongworth. “However, this is a serious trend that we are addressing before someone does get hurt. This year alone already accounts for 88 per cent of all the estimated property losses due to battery fires over the last decade in our city.”

Lithium-ion fires can be hard to extinguish and difficult to control. Batteries contain high amounts of stored energy which, once ignited, cause thermal runaway, leading to rapid overheating, explosions, and toxic gases.

And because consumer products increasingly contain lithium-ion batteries, fires happen right where Calgarians sleep, eat, study and work. Recent incidents in Calgary include a mattress fire in a teen’s bedroom due to a failed auxiliary phone battery as well as a sudden explosive kitchen fire due to ignition of an off-brand battery in a cordless vacuum (photos and captions at bottom).

Damaged batteries, overcharging, and improper use of batteries and chargers are common causes of fires. Use of off-brand or discounted high-capacity batteries is also highly associated with greater fire risk, as is modifying electronics in any way.

• Calgary has seen estimated fire-related property losses of over $32 million due to battery fires in 2025, with 12 major battery fire incidents so far this year.
• An estimated 88 per cent of estimated losses due to battery fires in Calgary since 2015 have occurred in 2025 alone. Estimated losses include property damage and destroyed goods.
• Battery-related fires at City landfills and recycling facilities are increasing due to improper disposal with an estimated 75 fires already reported in 2025. These fires are mostly contained within City facilities however pose a growing risk to employee safety.

Know how to charge & recycle safely

This past Sunday, The Calgary Tower lit up like a giant battery indicator to kick off Fire Prevention Week 2025 with a lighting display that “charged” full to green then drained to zero. As battery safety is for everyone, Calgarians are encouraged to:

1. Buy and use safely: Purchase products from reputable vendors and look for a “UL” or “CSA” stamp on the product to ensure it meets safety standards. Don’t damage or modify your devices and their batteries.
2. Charge safely: Do not overcharge devices; unplug them or remove the battery once fully charged. Do not charge under pillows, on beds, or on couches where batteries can overheat.
3. Recycle responsibly: Recycle your batteries at designated collection sites across Calgary. Find out more at Calgary.ca/chargesafe.

“Fire Prevention Week is a timely reminder that simple actions, like recycling household batteries, can make a big difference in keeping our community safe. Improperly stored or disposed batteries pose a major risk to city waste facilities and can also spark home fires,” said Sharon Howland, Leader of Program Management, Waste & Recycling Services. “The City of Calgary is proud to provide free, safe disposal options and work closely with the Fire Department to protect our facilities, staff, residents’ homes, and the environment.”

The Calgary Fire Department is partnering with The City’s Waste & Recycling Services as well as the national non-profit Call2Recycle to help provide Calgarians with options across the city to safety dispose of their batteries.

By responsibly recycling batteries, hazardous materials are kept out of the garbage and Canadian landfills.  Recycling also allows for the recovery and reuse of valuable resources, which can be used in the manufacturing of new products, like stainless steel products or even new batteries.

“Call2Recycle is proud to support the Calgary Fire Department during Fire Prevention Week. Through our Recycle Your Batteries, Canada! program, we’re raising awareness that battery recycling is vital for the environment and an important step in preventing safety risks in our homes and communities,” said Jon McQuaid, VP Marketing and Communication at Call2Recycle. “With the recent launch of our program in Alberta, we’re making safe, responsible recycling more accessible than ever, fostering new partnerships, and empowering Calgarians, and all Albertans, to protect their families and the environment.”

Find out more about how to safety manage and dispose of batteries, including free drop off locations across Calgary: Calgary.ca/chargesafe.

For more information about Fire Prevention Week, visit calgary.ca/firepreventionweek.

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