West Kelowna campfire spreads to neighbours shed

West Kelowna firefighters are warning about the dangers of irresponsible burning after a backyard campfire spread, damaging a neighbours shed.

“It was a little careless and it could have been a lot more serious,” West Kelowna Fire Rescue Capt. Pat Harmata said.

The fire broke out behind a home in the 3300 block of McQueen Road in the Glenrosa neighbourhood just before 8 p.m.

Neighbours pulled out garden hoses to begin dousing the fast moving flames, according to Harmata.

“The fire spread to the hedges and into the trunks of some large cedars then spread to a small, 8 foot by 8 foot shed,” he said.

West Kelowna residents are permitted, at this time, to have campfires but they must comply with regulations, especially when it comes to their proximity to combustibles, according to Harmata.

“You have to be in attendance, you have to be sober, you’re not allowed to burn yard waste, you’re not allowed to burn lumber,” Harmata said.

The fire pit area must be less a metre in diameter and the flames must not grow to over a metre in height,” he said.

Combustibles must be at least 3.6 metres or 12 feet from the centre of the fire.

Regulations for campfires in West Kelowna can be seen at this link.