Northwest Territories Fire Watch Course: Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: Fire law and the Fire Marshal in the NWT

The main fire law in the territory is the Fire Prevention Act. It is administered by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Under the Act, the Minister appoints a Fire Marshal, Deputy Fire Marshals and Assistant Fire Marshals. The Fire Marshal has jurisdiction throughout the Northwest Territories.

Local assistants

Section 5 makes some people local assistants to the Fire Marshal by virtue of their job:

• The chief or acting chief of a municipal fire department
• Where a community has no fire department, the senior administrative officer or a council-appointed employee
• Outside municipalities, a person the Minister appoints
• An RCMP member on duty in the NWT, who has all the powers of a local assistant

Which fire code applies

The Fire Prevention Regulations adopt national codes. Since October 1, 2024, the NWT has used the National Fire Code of Canada 2020 and the National Building Code of Canada 2020. They replaced the 2015 editions. The regulations name the Fire Marshal as the authority having jurisdiction under these codes.

Lesson 2: Inspections, orders and exits

Under section 11, the Fire Marshal, deputies, assistants and local assistants may inspect buildings and premises on a complaint or on their own initiative. They may enter at any reasonable hour. As a guard, be polite, ask for identification, let them in as your post orders say, and call your supervisor.

If they find a fire hazard, they may give the owner or occupant a written order (section 12). Every order must state the date by which it must be complied with. Where there is a danger to public safety, such as poor exits, flammable material or a fire, the Fire Marshal, a Deputy or an Assistant may order a building closed to the public until the problem is fixed (section 13).

Exit doors in public buildings

Section 18 covers theatres, dance halls, skating rinks, churches, schools and places of public resort or amusement. In these buildings with seating for more than 50 people, outside doors and main inside doors must open freely outward. While the building is in public use, these doors may not be locked except with standard panic hardware.

• Never chain, padlock or wedge shut an exit door while people are inside.
• Report blocked exits, broken panic bars and stored items in corridors.
• Report fire doors that are propped open.

Lesson 3: When a fire watch is needed

A fire watch is a trained person who patrols to look for fire and warn people. It is a temporary measure used while a fire alarm or sprinkler system is out of service or impaired, or during hot work such as welding, cutting or grinding.

The Fire Prevention Act itself does not set out fire watch steps. The rules on impaired fire protection systems and on hot work are in the National Fire Code, which the NWT adopts. The details for your site, such as who must be told and how often you patrol, come from the building's fire safety plan, the fire authority (the Fire Marshal or the local fire department) and your post orders. Get them in writing before you start.

Before your first round, find out

• Which system is out, which areas it covers, and why
• Who has told the fire department and the alarm monitoring company
• How often you must patrol and which areas you must check
• Where the exits, pull stations and extinguishers are
• Who in the building may need help to leave
• How you will call for help (radio or phone) and raise the alarm (air horn or whistle)

A fire watch should be your only duty. Stay until the system is restored or you are properly relieved.

Lesson 4: Fire alarms and calling for help

The City of Yellowknife Fire Division gives clear advice on alarms. Its emergency numbers are 9-1-1 or 873-2222.

The same city page lists a Forest Fire Hotline: 1-877-698-3473. Wildfire is a real risk in the NWT. Report smoke or fire in the bush to that line, and call 9-1-1 if people or buildings are in danger.

If you find fire or smoke on a fire watch

1. Warn people nearby and sound the alarm, or use your air horn if the alarm is out.
2. Leave the area and call 9-1-1 (or 873-2222 in Yellowknife) from a safe place.
3. Fight the fire only if it is small, you are trained and you have a clear way out.
4. Meet the fire crew and tell them what you saw and who may still be inside.

Lesson 5: Logs, fire investigations and workplace rules

Keep a fire watch log for every round: the time you started and finished, the areas you checked, what you found and what you did. Write in ink, do not leave gaps, and sign each entry. Your log may be read by the fire authority, your employer or a court.

After a fire

Under section 7, a local assistant must investigate fires in their area that destroyed or damaged property, to find whether they were caused by carelessness, accident or design. They must tell the Fire Marshal if they think a fire was set on purpose. Under section 9, if the Fire Marshal believes there is enough evidence to charge arson, the Fire Marshal must report to the nearest RCMP detachment.

• Keep people out of the burned area and do not move anything.
• Write down what you saw, heard and smelled, with times.
• Note people and vehicles near the scene.
• Give your notes to the investigator or the RCMP.

Workplace safety rules

The NWT Occupational Health and Safety Regulations also apply to you. Section 18 requires the employer to train workers in the emergency procedures, including what to do in a fire, and to show them where first aid supplies are. Section 21 requires an occupational health and safety program at work sites with 20 or more workers. The program must include emergency procedures and identify the internal and external emergency resources.