Firefighters with Extension Volunteer Fire Department had "a bit of a scramble," but managed to gain the upper hand on two wildfires south of Nanaimo that were called in almost simultaneously yesterday.
Both fires Thursday, July 25, were reported within moments of each other, the first at the intersection of South Forks Road and Nanaimo Lakes Road and the second in the 600 block of Nanaimo River Road.
Because of the timing of the calls there was some confusion about whether they were responding to one or two separate fires and their exact locations, but as the relatively smaller grass fire on Nanaimo Lakes Road was being snuffed out, more Extension firefighters and apparatus were already tackling the larger fire on Nanaimo River Road.
"It was a bit of a scramble and that's not uncommon," said Kevin Young, Extension Volunteer Fire Department chief. "Addresses are spotty out there and cell service is spotty too and that never helps."
The fire on Nanaimo River Road burned about 5,000 square metres of grass and underbrush and scorched the bark of fir trees on the side of the road, but the flames were not high enough to get into the limbs of the trees
Young said, along with Extension fire apparatus, two independent water hauling companies also delivered water to the site.
"We knocked it down initially and then established a perimeter," he said.
The fire chief said the cause of that fire was not determined, but it could have been human-caused, possibly by a discarded cigarette according to a B.C. Wildfire investigator who checked both fire sites.
There was no damage to property and no reported injuries.
"We will be monitoring that fire for the next 24 hours just for any hot spots or flare-ups," Young said.
He commented that this fire season has been "pretty quiet" so far aside from the hog fuel fire at Harmac Pacific. Extension Volunteer Fire Department sent 13 firefighters plus apparatus as mutual aid when that blaze broke out and was fanned by high winds July 13.
"Except for the Harmac fire there's been just the occasional burning complaint and that's just people having campfires and not knowing the rules," Young said.
But the wildfire danger risk remains extreme and the fire chief said even with some precipitation forecast by Environment Canada for the Nanaimo area Sunday and Monday, July 28-29, he doesn't see a change in the fire danger rating coming anytime soon.
Extension Volunteer Fire Department on scene of .5 hectare bush fire 600 blk Nanaimo River Rd. Fire under control. Traffic delays with one lane alternating traffic on Nanaimo River Rd.#Nanaimo #wildfire @NanaimoBulletin pic.twitter.com/oMgtEO9CxM
— Chris Bush (@ChrisBushphotog) July 25, 2024
