Kelowna firefighters douse brush blaze along McCurdy Road

Fire crews were called out to battle a brush fire along McCurdy Road in Kelowna on Friday morning.

The fire was called in by a pedestrian, with emergency crews quickly arriving on scene.

When crews arrived, at around 10 a.m., the fire was growing and was estimated at 50 feet by 100 feet in size.

The road was also temporarily closed while crews extinguished the blaze.

“There weren’t any significant winds, but given the drought we’re in, and although Mother Nature has cooperated significantly with recent rainfall, the trees are still very drought-stricken,” said assistant fire chief Dennis Craig.

“Although the fire wasn’t growing very rapidly through the grass, it did get into the trees.”

The fire is thought to be human-caused and is under investigation.

The fire department responded with three fire engines, two bush trucks and two water tenders.

Craig said all fires are taken very seriously, “and we throw what we can at them to keep them small.”

The fire department said the incident is a good time to discuss fire safety, and how parents should discuss how playing with matches or lighters “in this environment is just not safe. Have those safety talks with your kids.”