Advertisement

West Kelowna grassfires could have been human caused

Two small brush fires broke out in West Kelowna Sunday morning but were quickly extinguished.

Fire crews were called into action after reports of smoke in the woods beside Johnson Bentley Memorial Centre around 10 a.m.

West Kelowna Fire Captain Troy Russell says the fires were rank one grassfires.

Russell says crews quickly put out the fire then started building a guard around the affected area.

The fires burned an area approximately 40 by 40 feet.

Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story.

Get breaking National news

Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“It’s a good thing the wind wasn’t moving or it would have been a lot worse than what it was,” Russell said.

However, fires in this area of West Kelowna aren’t uncommon, according to Russell.

Story continues below advertisement

“We respond here a few times a year for the same reason,” he said. “We have squatters in the area. We’ve got a lot of foot traffic from the lake. It’s a concern of ours. It’s very difficult to access.”

Russell says the cause of the fires is unknown but says they are suspicious.

“In two separate areas…we can’t really determine it but there’s a good possibility it was human caused,” he said.

Though summer is winding down, Russell says the threat of wildfires is still present.

“We still have conditions that would force this kind of a fire. It’s going to be a late season,” he said, adding the fire season could extend into October.

No homes or businesses were threatened.
 

Sponsored content

AdChoices