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Fire in Paradise Valley

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Cause of fire currently under review

Sylvie Paillard

spaillard@squamishchief.com

Four six-winged water bombers and a helicopter carrying massive buckets of water made short work of a potential runaway forest fire Friday (July 22). Pemberton Fire Base quickly responded at 6 p.m. Friday, and the fire was out by the end of the evening thanks to a call made by a keen-eyed resident.

"That call was great," said Sue Handel, fire information officer for the Coastal Fire Centre. "We rely heavily on the public.

Handel said the cause was determined to be flames from an abandoned car that had spread into the thick brush of a remote area at the very end of Paradise Valley Road. A person caused the fire, said Handel, but arson is not suspected.

"The investigation is on-going," she said.

Witnesses dispute the theory, however, saying that a campfire allegedly built by a squatter caused the fire. According to Paradise Valley resident Brian Thompson, Rob Dombrowsky of the Squamish Fire Base was at the scene and directed Thompson to the fire's epicenter: a pot of hot dogs over a charred log. Thompson, who took pictures of the scene, said he and several neighbours immediately suspected a squatter who had been camping in the area, because just over one week earlier, said Thompson, he'd lit and abandoned a stump, appearing to have used it for cooking. A neighbour came along to douse that fire before it spread. The squatter, who called himself "King God" behaved suspiciously and made more than one resident nervous while camping out over the last 4 weeks or so, according to Thompson. Residents now believe he's moved on to Alberta.

The fire spread to an area of approximately one and a half hectares, making it one of the largest of this quiet fire season. The firebase dispatched equipment, a three-person initial attack crew and 20 more fire fighters to the scene, an appropriate response in light of the proximity of dense population, windy and drying conditions.

A second, smaller fire at Lions Bay that was reported at 6 p.m. Wednesday (July 27) is also suspected to be human related - an assumption based solely on the elimination of lightning as a factor.

Quick response by the Lions Bay Fire Department and the BC Forest Service Coastal Fire Centre helped to contain a .2-hectare wildfire just south of Lions Bay on the east side of Highway 99. Air tankers, helicopters, forest officers and fire fighters were again called to action.

Handel was quick to remind residents that ground fuel of sticks, leaves and brush is drying up fast in the last few weeks' hot, sunny weather.

Squamish is currently under a moderate fire danger rating, but there is a good chance the rating will increase if the forecast for continued dry weather is accurate, said Handel.

The Coastal Fire Centre is considering imposing open fire restrictions. For now, however, they are merely repeating their message of caution.

"Watch for conditions," said Handel. "If it's windy, keep fires small. Embers can blow away quite easily."

Firefighter Bob Fulton of Squamish Fire Rescue said his department was aware of the fire but did not participate in fighting it. He said the danger of wild fires must be foremost in the minds of people venturing into wooded areas.

"Due to the current weather and the forecast people should use extreme caution in the backcountry," Fulton said. "Be careful with all sources of ignition. Campfires should be fully extinguished."

The Ministry of Forests and Range wants the public to help prevent forest fires by never throwing cigarettes out of windows, using existing fire pits where available when camping, keeping sufficient tools and water nearby in case the fire escapes, checking for open burning restrictions and bans before burning yard waste and reading and following the FireSmart Homeowner's Manual, available at local fire departments.

Residents who see a wildfire should call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on most cell phones.

-with files from John French

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