Fire turns to forest fire
At around 1:00 pm on Wednesday May 27th , 2020, a member of the public alerted the Tumbler Ridge Fire Department to a large column of smoke that was visible south of town.
Heading up the Flatbed Creek road, they discovered a wildland fire in a forested area approximately 3 kilometers up the road.
While the Tumbler Ridge Fire Department initially responded to the fire, the BC Wildfire Service was requested to provide additional resources and support. Aircraft were visible in the area, as efforts to confine the fire were underway.
Fire Chief Dustin Curry says the cause of the fire is under investigation. “However, with a lack of recent lightning in the area, the cause is suspected to be person caused,” he says.
Curry reminds people that there is currently a Category 2 and 3 opening burning ban in place, which does not ban campfires at this time. “ The Tumbler Ridge Fire Department would like to remind the public that campfires must be made in a non-combustible pit and must be completely extinguished prior leaving the area.”
If anyone has any information regarding the circumstances of the fire, please contact the Tumbler Ridge Fire Department.
