A dirt bike may have sparked the small brush fire that Squamish Fire Rescue quickly doused in Brackendale on June 16.
A message posted to the Squamish Dirt Bike Association (SDBA) Facebook page alerted the community to the incident and commended the rider for their quick action once it was known a fire had started.
The fire was sparked near Squamish Valley Road and the Cheekeye Dream’N dirt biking trail.
"OK, so this a tough one. We have had a bike catch fire in the bush. The exact cause is not known as per these incidents but bike had been upside down a bit before," reads the post, which was also shared by the District of Squamish.
"I do want to say that [the] owner tried to put out fire with dirt and at risk to themselves," the post continues.
"Once [they] realized this was a bigger issue, a call was made to Squamish fire and location was relayed and most important, they stayed on site. Fire dept. was onsite rapidly and pumped water from the ]Cheekye River] to get flames out. The club and I want to thank owners for doing all the right things and in sequence. It is hard in these situations."
The District commended the message and also the actions of the dirt biker.
"We appreciate the efforts made by the owner, and their quick decision to call emergency services," the muni said on its Facebook page.
Photos show that the bike was destroyed in the incident. As of July 17, SDBA stated that cleanup of debris would begin shortly.
The Bailout dirt biking trail will be closed until further notice, according to the SDBA post.
Dry conditions.
Earlier this week, a spokesperson for the BC Wildfire Service told The Squamish Chief that the forest floor is currently so dry it is like having kindling everywhere.
This was one of the factors that led the agency to impose a campfire ban in the entire Coastal Fire Centre, including in the Sea to Sky.
Recently, speaking to Castanet about a new wildfire near Princeton, Wildfire Service fire information officer Cassidy Martin specifically mentioned that dirt bikes can cause wildfires.
"Human-caused fire simply could be like a spark from a dirt bike or an accidental pole falling down."
Tips for off-road motorized riders
According to the provincial government, all off-road vehicles, including dirt bikes, are required by law to have a spark arrestor installed during wildfire conditions.
"A spark arrestor is a small screen or other device that is installed in an engine exhaust system to stop sparks from exiting the tailpipe," the province explains.
The SDBA post also reminds riders to carry extra water "just in case, so you can douse flames or embers."
Maintaining the bike, including cleaning dirt off the header pipe, and watching for fuel leaks, is also recommended.
ATVs and UTVs
All-terrain vehicles, or ATVs, are more commonly known to be a wildfire risk.
(Dirt bikes are not considered to be ATVs.)
For example, a wildfire northeast of Edmonton was said to be started by an ATV.
Further, according to a study, ATV-caused fires make up roughly 1.3% of Alberta’s fires.
Due to the risk of wildfires, Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs) and ATVs were banned earlier this summer in Saskatchewan. That ban has since been lifted.
To report a wildfire, unattended campfire, or open burning violation outside of District of Squamish boundaries, call 1.800.663.5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cell phone.
To report fires/campfires in public spaces within Squamish call 9-1-1.
—Update 3:55 p.m. July 16—
Squamish Fire Rescue says the fire is out.
—Original story, July 16—
Squamish Fire Rescue is asking the public to stay clear of trails near Squamish Valley Road and the Cheekeye Dream’N trail in Brackendale as its crews are on scene at a brush fire.
“There is no risk to the public at this time,” the department said in a post to its Facebook page.
As of Thursday at noon, there will be a BC Wildfire Service campfire ban in place in the region, due to the current dry, hot conditions.
Currently, there is a District of Squamish campfire ban in place.
The Dryden Creek wildfire, which started on June 9, has yet to be called out, as the BC Wildfire Service continues to monitor it for potential reignition.
