UPDATE: Aug. 18
Fire investigators will be back on scene in West Kelowna Friday morning after a second fire was suspiciously set in the Powers Creek Canyon area on Thursday.
While RCMP are not yet calling the fires arson, Cpl. Tania Carroll said, “the RCMP is looking into all possibilities regarding these most recent fires. We will exhaust all avenues of investigation.”
West Kelowna Fire Rescue was called out to reports of smoke in Glen Canyon Regional Park at 4:59 p.m. on Aug. 17.
Assistant fire chief Darren Lee said the blaze was just 300 metres up the canyon from a similar one the night before.
Related: UPDATE: Brush fire sparked in West Kelowna
Lee said crews were attending to other calls when the first report came in so Lakeview Heights Engine 32 was the first to make it to the scene via Aberdeen Road in Glenrosa.
“Due to the extreme fire danger; Engine 32 has been staffed with an additional firefighters this summer. This extra staffing was very helpful this afternoon,” said Lee. “When Engine 32 arrived, they reported a grey smoke column in Glen Canyon Regional Park.”
Much like Wednesday’s fire, the blaze was down a steep ravine and difficult to access for firefighters. Engine 32 requested further help and the BC Wildfire Service responded with a Penticton-based Initial Attack Crew and a West Kelowna-based helicopter to support the firefight.
“Engine 32 was able to build a down-hill hose-lay and use it to safely and quickly knock the fire down,” said Lee.
“Once the fire intensity was reduced and later arriving units were on-scene; a hand-guard was dug around the fire’s perimeter. The fire area was thoroughly overhauled in order to eliminate remaining hot-spots.”
WKFR and BCWS firefighters were able to contain the fire to an approximate size of 50 feet by 10 feet.
Lee said WKFR will perform several rechecks before the hose-lay is removed from the fire perimeter.
“Preliminary fire cause and origin investigation indicates that the fire was human caused and an ignition source is yet to be determined,” added Lee.
“WKFR fire investigators will return to the scene in order to finish their fire cause and origin investigation.”
—-
ORIGINAL: Aug. 17
West Kelowna Fire Rescue crews made quick work of fire in the Powers Creek Canyon area for the second day in a row.
The small blaze sparked just after 5 p.m. about two blocks northwest of the fire yesterday, in the ravine near Glencoe Road and Windt Road.
A witness says fire crews used foam and water to quickly snuff out the blaze.
There has been no lightning in the area so much like yesterday, the fire is suspected to be human caused.
More details to come.
@carmenweld
carmen.weld@bpdigital.ca
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
