A tenant of a three-bedroom home on Townsend Road in Sooke says a series of small fires has her living in fear.

B次元官网网址淚t is a major concern not only for me, my family and my animals, but also for our community as well. IB次元官网网址檓 willing to do anything to protect us in the most positive way,B次元官网网址� said Storm DeWitt.

Over the past year, Sooke Fire Rescue has responded to four fires within metres of DeWittB次元官网网址檚 house at 2069 Townsend Rd. The most recent was July 19 when firefighters put a campfire-sized blaze that ignited on a fence between DeWittB次元官网网址檚 property and Shoppers Drug Mart.

DeWitt was at work at the time when she saw smoke plumes rising above her property.

Luckily by the time she arrived home, a Shoppers Drug Mart employee was putting out the blaze and the fire department was en route.

DeWittB次元官网网址檚 property is located next to a vacant lot which attracts transients, squatters and others. The property is used as a trail way between Townsend Road and Evergreen Centre.

Of the four fires, three have occurred over the last four weeks, said Fire Chief Kenn Mount.

B次元官网网址淲e have concern that weB次元官网网址檙e going there regularly,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e havenB次元官网网址檛 had any of these minor fire turn into anything major, but as we go into extreme [fire rating], the minor fires could be something greater to deal with.B次元官网网址�

Several attempts by Sooke fire officials to contact the vacant property owner have been unsuccessful. The district is now in the process of writing a letter in hopes of rectifying the problem.

B次元官网网址淭here are multiple issues with this property. There needs to be some kind of clean up. ThereB次元官网网址檚 debris there, remnants of past fires there and people are passing by on a path,B次元官网网址� Mount said, pointing out the property is for sale.

For DeWitt, itB次元官网网址檚 about keeping her community and family, including her two dogs, two cats and a bird, safe.

SheB次元官网网址檚 now set up a number of buckets on the vacant property filled with water and sand, so if someone comes across a fire they can douse it quickly. On her own property, she has more buckets and hoses directed at the fence line.

But thereB次元官网网址檚 always a feeling something bad will happen. DeWitt lives next door to an elderly couple and across the street from two apartment buildings.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 crazy,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淓very time I go to work, every time I go to bed, I worry.

B次元官网网址淚t canB次元官网网址檛 just be a careless person flicking a butt. I just want to hope itB次元官网网址檚 some accidental coincidence.B次元官网网址�