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Coombs-Hilliers fire crews quickly douse spreading brush fire in Whiskey Creek

Fire believed caused by campfire left unattended

The Coombs-Hilliers Fire Department quickly put out a brush fire in a wooded area on Redman Road in Whiskey Creek on Saturday morning (May 8).

The department received the call at 9:55 a.m. and upon arriving at the scene, they discovered a 40-foot by 50-foot ground fire slowly spreading in the surrounding brush. There were no structures threatened but there were nearby power lines and a power pole that were not damaged.

“Our first crews to arrive on scene quickly applied water and created a fire perimeter to contain the fire,” said Lieutenant Theresa Benoit. “Once water was applied we had the fire contained within 15 minutes.”

The crews, however, remained on scene for an estimated 90 minutes to overhaul and fully extinguish hot spots. The fire department deployed six apparatus and 14 firefighters on scene.

READ MORE: Fire crews, roofers work to douse building fire in Parksville

The cause of the fire appeared to be a campfire left unattended that spread to the fine brush surrounding the area.

“Although we have had recent rainfall, the ground remains dry and the risk of wildfires still remains,” said Benoit, the department’s fire prevention and training officer.

“We urge the public to use extreme caution when burning and to follow any guidelines set by the BC Wildfire Service or their local municipality. Never leave campfires or burns unattended, they should be monitored at all times. When you are done with your campfire ensure it is extinguished and cool to the touch before leaving it.”

Michael.Briones@pqbnews.com

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Michael Briones

About the Author: Michael Briones

I rejoined the PQB News team in April 2017 from the Comox Valley Echo, having previously covered sports for The NEWS in 1997.
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