Crews actioned a grass fire near the Allan Brooks Nature Centre Tuesday afternoon (Allan Brooks Nature Centre photo)
Update: 5 pm:
The City of Vernon says Fire Rescue attended the fire at 2:20 pm at the south end of the DND camp.
“The fire was approximately 2 acres, it was knocked down by VFRS with the assistance of Coldstream fire services,” says communications officer Nick Nilsen.
“The cause is under investigation, and we are focusing on nearby power lines,” adds Nilsen.
There were some anxious moments for staff at Vernon’s Allan Brooks Nature Centre after a grass fire broke out east of the facility.
Vicky Proulx. the centre’s events and communications coordinator, says one of their board members saw the blaze while driving on the highway.
“We phoned the wildfire number to report it right away. We also called 911, and the crews were really quick to get down there, but it was a little scary because there was no one around the fire,” Proulx tells CJIB News.
Proulx says some trenches were dug around the fire, and then the fire department was able to put it out.
She says the centre didn’t have to evacuate, but adds it was scary because it was windy at the time.
“It was very eye-opening to see how fast it could get out of control,” adds Proulx.
There is no word yet what may have caused it.
“It was just up from the highway, kind of on one of the roads that goes to the military base around here,” says Proulx, who says one of their intentions this year is to have fire procedures in place.
