A quick moving brush along Sooke Road destroyed one cabin and took crews roughly three hours to contain.
The cause of the fire is under investigation but it is believed to be human caused. The West Shore RCMP confirmed they were provided with a licence plate number of a motorhome that was believed to be dragging something, leaving sparks in its wake. Officers are following up with the registered owner.
Metchosin Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop confirmed the cause is still under investigation and fire crews are assisting police with that part of the investigation.
In total, 25 firefighters from five departments responded to the blaze which started shortly after 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. They were joined by six forest firefighters and a helicopter.
The Metchosin fire department was first on scene and discovered a roughly one and a half kilometre stretch with approximately 20 spot fires near Kangaroo Road. B次元官网网址淚n my mind, I was like B次元官网网址榟oly cow, thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of fire,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Dunlop said when she first arrived.
B次元官网网址 shot by Noah Threlfall.
Posted by on Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Sooke Road was quickly closed in both directions, with vehicles detouring via Happy Valley, Rocky Point and Gillespie roads. Sooke Road reopened to single lane alternating traffic just after 8 p.m. Crews were on scene until after 2 a.m., continuing to mop up and monitor hot spots.
Firefighters continued to check the area until late Thursday morning. B次元官网网址淲e were just there now and weB次元官网网址檙e 100 per cent confident now it wonB次元官网网址檛 reignite,B次元官网网址� Dunlop said.
While the fires were mostly contained to the area near the roadway, she noted there was a lot of smoke due old cars and other debris buried in the hillside. B次元官网网址淭hat caused a lot of panic for some,B次元官网网址� she said.
out of control brush fire in the 4100 block of Sooke Rd in Metchosin. Road closed both ways. Avoid area.
B次元官网网址� West Shore RCMP (@WestshoreRCMP)
The departmentB次元官网网址檚 main priority was protecting nearby structures. One cabin in the 4400-block of Sooke Road was lost but a nearby home was saved. There were no injuries as a result of the fire. Both properties housed a number of animals with everything from emus to cats noted Dunlop. While two cats and a dog were saved from the cabin, one cat is still unaccounted for.
The landscape also caused some challenges for crews. B次元官网网址淚t got up into a fairly heavy and dense forested area up the hill,B次元官网网址� noted Langford Fire Chief Chris Aubrey. B次元官网网址淭he biggest challenge is that itB次元官网网址檚 just really dense terrain with no water supply.B次元官网网址�
Metchosin, Langford and Sooke are preparing to send a joint crew of firefighters and equipment to help in the Interior. By pooling resources Dunlop noted it wonB次元官网网址檛 leave any local departments short resources in the evident another fire flares up locally. B次元官网网址淭his fire proved how quickly they can spread,B次元官网网址� she said, adding it also took an incredible amount of resources to contain and completely extinguish.
-With files from Joel Tansey
