Vancouver Island fire department posts video showing how fast human-caused wildfires can spread
A Vancouver Island fire department is reminding British Columbians of the fire risks that are present across the province as wildfires sweep across the Interior and droughts grip parts of Vancouver Island.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Dashwood Fire Department, based out of Qualicum Beach, posted a video online of a small fire spreading quickly through dry grass, saying "one dropped cigarette" is enough to cause a wildfire.
The video was part of a demonstration, which took place outside of the fire department in a controlled location, the department said.
Within seconds, the fire can be seen burning through the patch of grass, with no signs of slowing down.
"This is all it takes to start a wildfire," wrote the fire department in the social media post.
As of Wednesday morning, there were 248 wildfires burning across the province, with 3,375 properties under evacuation orders.
On Tuesday, the Coastal Fire Centre urged residents to obey fire rules after conservation officers noticed a spike in illegal campfires in its jurisdiction, which includes of Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast, Haida Gwaii and parts of the Lower Mainland.
"It's really something we need to nail down and need to make sure everyone's really diligent on as we get into these higher temperatures and even further drier conditions headed to the long weekend," said Matt Bell with the Coastal Fire Centre.
Bell added that a provincewide campfire ban has been in place since late June in B.C., and that conservation officers are immediately handing out $1,150 fines whenever they spot a campfire.
On Wednesday morning, Environment Canada posted heat warnings for parts of Vancouver Island, the southern Gulf Islands and the Sunshine Coast.
Heat warnings are in effect on eastern Vancouver Island, and special weather statements related to heat have been issued for the rest of the island, including Greater Victoria.
The high temperatures are expected to begin Wednesday and last until Sunday, with temperatures reaching 30 C in eastern Vancouver Island, and the high 20s to low 30s in Greater Victoria.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.