Police and city officials are urging people to have fun but stay safe Thursday evening, as both Halloween and Diwali fall on the same night.
Thousands of kids will take to the street to trick-or-treat, while many South Asian communities also mark their annual celebration of light.
Surrey, B.C., RCMP Cpl. Sarbjit Sangha said parents should ensure kids stick to the sidewalks and only cross streets at marked crosswalks.
“It does get dark very quickly, so make sure their costumes include reflective clothing, they have a flashlight and they are only in the areas that are well-lit,” she said.
“Drivers, pay extra attention, do a 360 scan before you are backing out of a driveway because there will be lots of pedestrians.”
Officials are also warning the public not to set off fireworks, which are now illegal to use in the majority of Metro Vancouver municipalities.
The District of North Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster and Port Coquitlam remain the only parts of Metro Vancouver where you can obtain a permit to set off low-hazard consumer fireworks on Halloween.
The City of Surrey has escalated its crackdown on illegal fireworks this year, raising the minimum fine to $500 and the maximum fine to $50,000.
“Have fun, but have it safely. You don’t want to bother your neighbours, there are small children in our communities, there are pets that don’t do well when there are loud noises such as fireworks,” Sangha said.
“Our officers are going to be in our hot-spot areas which are known to be frequented by large gatherings where fireworks are used.”
Sangha said both the Surrey RCMP and Surrey bylaw officers will be out in force Thursday night.
Complaints about illegal fireworks should be directed to local municipal bylaw departments, while calling 911 should be reserved for actual emergencies.