Flames from a backyard blaze in Nanoose Bay surpassed the height of the property owner’s house earlier this week.
Thirteen Nanoose Bay volunteer firefighters attended the call to Ida Lane, arriving just after 1 p.m. Monday, May 10. Fire Chief Doug Penny said he suspects the fire started as a controlled burn that ‘got away’ and spread due to winds and dry foliage.
There were no injuries and no structural damaged caused by the fire. Shrubbery on the front of the property sustained heavy damage, as did a fence that protected the house on the other side.
Penny said while there were no issues with controlling the blaze, it still took approximately an hour and a half to suppress.
Neighbour Lou Suveges, who witnessed the blaze before firefighters arrived, said at one point the flames were higher than the property owner’s house.
“The flames reached way up to the trees there, burning some of the branches. It just took off,” he said.
Penny asks residents who practise controlled backyard burns to exercise caution and be wary of dry weather. Information on fire bans and restrictions can be found at http://bcfireinfo.for.gov.bc.ca.
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