Vernon firefighters responded to a wildland fire and a grass fire over the weekend, just several hours apart.
The first fire happened at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Saturday (July 23), at the base of Turtle Mountain, along Alexis Park Drive. Firefighters were dispatched to a report of a wildland fire, and upon arrival, confirmed the fire was approximately 30’ x 30’. The fire was extinguished quickly. No structures were at risk and no injuries were reported.
The second fire happened Sunday (July 24) at approximately 11:40 a.m., in the 3100-block of 48th Avenue. Firefighters were dispatched to a grassy area in a business district, along the railway tracks. Upon arrival, the fire was approximately 50’ x 50’. Again, crews extinguished the fire quickly using equipment from the department’s wildland truck and two engines.
“Both of the fires have been determined to be human caused, but neither appears to be criminal in nature. We can confirm there was no train in the area when the fire happened near the rail line,” said Deputy Fire Chief Alan Hofsink. “Thanks to the diligent and precise actions of our well-trained crews, these fires were attacked and extinguished quickly, preventing them from spreading and potentially causing much greater damage.”
Over the last several days, daytime temperatures have increased significantly throughout the North Okanagan, drying out ground materials and shrubbery. The fire danger rating in Vernon is currently listed as high.