'Please be vigilant': Several recent fires spark call for caution from Port Alberni fire chief
Firefighters in Port Alberni, B.C., are pleading with the public to avoid lighting fires in local forests and parks after the department responded to a dozen brushfires over the past two weeks, according to the fire chief.
One of the latest fires was sparked Thursday night near the Echo Aquatic and Fitness Centre in the heart of the city.
The fire ignited in Roger Creek Park around 10 p.m. and smoke could be seen billowing from the area.
The Port Alberni Fire Department says no homes were threatened by the blaze.
By 11:30 p.m., the fire was considered extinguished, though crews remained at the scene to watch for hotspots.
Fire Chief Mike Owens says the department was called to the same area Monday for a similar blaze.
"The fire was approximately 30 feet by 40 feet, but was also climbing the full length of the trees," Owens said of the Thursday fire. "Crews probably worked the fire for approximately an hour and half in order to suppress it, then monitor in case there were any hotspots in the area."
ALL FIRES WERE HUMAN-CAUSED
Firefighters returned to the scene Friday to ensure there were no new hotspots flaring up. While no hotspots were found, fire crews were called to a fire in a dry creek bed in the 3500-block of Third Avenue on Friday morning.
"All of the fires that we've had – approximately a dozen fires in the past two weeks – all of them [were] human-caused for sure," Owens said. "Whether there is criminality or not, we have forwarded those on to the RCMP."
Thursday's fire was the largest of the recent blazes in and around the city, the fire chief said.
"We haven't seen any meaningful rainfall in weeks and coupled with that, the fire danger rating in our area has been at the extreme rating for a number of weeks now," Owens said. "So we're pleading with the public to please be vigilant and ensure that you don't start a fire."
The fire chief said he is grateful to the concerned Port Alberni citizens who have been calling in with reports of smoke, "which has been a key reason that we've been able to keep these fires down."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Vladimir Putin began his fifth term Tuesday as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.