Pitt Meadows Fire was called to a grass fire east of Swaneset Bay around 12:30 p.m. on Monday, for what is believed to have been a human-caused fire.
“Witnesses at the scene said they saw an individual, Caucasian male in his 20s, set off a flare gun and the flare landed in the grass and started the grass fire,” said Fire Chief Don Jolley.
He said fortunately, the area where it landed was very green and damp, so they were able to contain it quickly.
“The other thing we had in our favour was that there was very little wind, so it didn’t spread too fast. So we were able to cut it off before it got going too much.”
Jolley said the fire was headed to the mountain side, which could’ve resulted in something more serious.
As for the flare, he said there is no indication that it was fired by someone in distress.
“By the sound of it he ran off and got in a vehicle and drove away. So why he would have been setting off a flare off there I have no idea, but it was obviously a very bad decision.”
According to Jolley, police are on the lookout for the man who allegedly shot the flare gun.
He said people should be “exceptionally careful” with any kind of device that causes heat, adding that things can get out of control very quickly.
– With files from Michelle Morton