A small grass fire in a copse of trees in Peachland, B.C. on Thursday was quickly extinguished by local fire crews.
The fire happened near Bulyea Avenue, with crews responding to the incident just after 12 p.m.
The rank-one fire was estimated to be 15 metres (50 feet) by 30 metres (100 feet) in size, and was burning along a steep hill.
“There were some visible flames showing when crews arrived,” said Peachland fire chief Dennis Craig. “But it wasn’t spreading very quickly.”
Craig said seven firefighters were on scene and that they knocked down the fire quickly with a few hundred gallons of water.
The crew was expected to stay on scene for a while, ensuring it was completely out.
Craig said the fire is suspected to be human-caused, as there were no lightning strikes in the area at the time.
Asked about the local conditions, Craig said given the proximity of nearby houses, “fire likes to travel uphill, so, obviously, there were concerns and we responded with force. We don’t take anything for granted.”
He added “given the dryness of the forests right now, we are at a Level 4, which is a high danger rating. It’s not a super-hot sunny day or anything, but it’s still very dry. Lots of fine fuels are drying out and the (fire) hazard is out there.”
Craig also said that with the long weekend approaching, people need to be fire smart and ensure campfires are fully extinguished.
“For this time of the year,” he said, “it is definitely drier than normal.”