It is a lesson in how easily the wildfires in other parts of B.C. could quickly become a Squamish reality.
On June 30, in the midst of a record-breaking heatwave, Rhonda O'Grady, her husband Stephen Savauge and friend Georgina McCandlish were walking from the entrance to the dike from Valleycliffe's Magnolia Crescent down to the river when they smelled smoke.
They prepared to inform whoever was having a campfire that there is a provincewide campfire ban. But instead of folks at a campfire, they discovered a large fallen tree was on fire at the first river "lookout" area.
"We couldn't believe our eyes. Someone either set it on fire or was smoking and that set it on fire," O'Grady said in a Facebook message she posted to warn neighbours.
Cigarette butts are often seen at the spot, she told The Chief, noting it was a tree on fire, not a log.
"An actual tree. There are no people [around] and it is not anywhere near a fire ring or anything," she recalled.
Savauge quickly rolled the tree into the river to put the fire out while O’Grady worked on the area where it had been burning to ensure there were no sparks or smoldering areas.
"We then all jumped into the river to submerge the burning part of the tree completely underwater so that there is no chance of it setting on fire again. Even in the water, it could spark up," she said.
"We were so freaked out."
They put sand where the burning had been to ensure there were no smoldering embers that could reignite.
"Things must have been super dry because I have lived here for 13 years, and I have walked up and down that river every day and I have never seen — it looked like it spontaneously combusted or something."
The heatwave had hit a few days before, reaching 43 °C on June 28.
The fire danger rating for our area remains high, according to the BC Wildfire Service.
There are currently 153 active wildfires in B.C. As of July 6, there had been 48 wildfires in the Coastal Fire Centre since Apr. 1.
The 2020 fire season saw 670 wildfires in B.C., burning 14,536 hectares and costing the provincial government $194 million.
Of that year's fires, 59% were person-caused; 41% were lightning-caused.
The Conservation Officer Service (COS) handed out $25,300 in campfire ban violations over the long weekend between July 1 and 4, according to the organization's social media posts.
O'Grady noted how close the burning tree was to all the homes and how important the trail network is to residents.
"The forest, these trails around Valleycliffe have saved us through this pandemic. They are our sanctuary; they are where we could go and walk safely, keep ourselves healthy."
Wildlife thrives in the area too, she said.
"How awful that would have been if we would have lost that forest," she said. "Every little bit is so important right now to save."
Call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on a cellphone to report a wildfire, unattended campfire, or an open burning violation.
