WATCH: The Sasamat Volunteer Fire Department is expressing frustration that their message isn’t getting across. Yesterday, they were called out to put a fire on a private island in Indian Arm. It’s the second human caused fire they’ve had to respond to in the last two weeks. Jordan Armstrong reports.
A fire that that blazed on a private island in Indian Arm was put out after three hours – but volunteer firefighters are disappointed that a second fire in the area was caused by humans in as many weeks.
Members of the Sasamat Volunteer Fire Department began battling the fire on Hamber Island around 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
A spokesperson with the Fire Department says they believe the fire was human caused, and witnesses told firefighters a group of young people left the scene shortly after the blaze began.
“Even though the fire was here on an island, the danger was having the embers spread into the homes behind us,” said David Gregory, Chief for the department.
The tiny island, just northwest of Belcarra, is named after former Lieutenant Governor E.W. Hamber. Connected to the mainland at low tide, the island has no structures, but was recently sold and has three separate land titles.
Nine firefighters managed to contain the fire within a couple of hours.
Gregory urges everyone to be responsible with the risk of fire so great in Metro Vancouver this summer.
“I’m sure it was something very small that they did, but something small turned into something very big very quickly in these dry conditions.”
GALLERY: Photos of the Hamber Island fire
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