Homes in an abandoned, closed-off subdivision on unstable ground on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast are burning, and local firefighters say they’ll let them. The burning subdivision is Sechelt’s Seawatch neighbourhood, which was fully evacuated in 2019 due to a series of sinkholes and what the District of Sechelt called significant geotechnical instability. Those living in 14 houses in the neighbourhood were never allowed to return home. In a statement issued Sunday morning, the Sechelt Fire Department advised locals to keep their distance from Seawatch, as fires would continue to “smoke and off-gas” for a few days because crews couldn’t safely access and attend to the homes. “It’s not safe to be around off-gassing structure fires without appropriate PPE. The pictures aren’t worth the risk. If you live nearby, keep windows closed if you smell smoke,” the fire department wrote. The Sechelt Fire Department told CTV News these fires are believed to be human caused. Photos taken from across the water show a house fully engulfed in flames and thick, dark smoke billowing into the sky. The homes have been officially uninhabited since they were evacuated, but CTV News reported that squatters were residing in them in 2022. The fires at Seawatch are being monitored by Mounties, the District of Sechelt, and the B.C. Wildfire Service and local firefighters, who have asked anyone who notices increased fire activity to contact the Sechelt Fire Department at 604-740-2595.
