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The grass fire burning up the hill near the Rail Trail in Coldstream July 1 (Image Credit: Andrew Marr / Facebook)
Canada Day Fire

Residents, fire crews knocked down Canada Day Rail Trail fire

Jul 2, 2026 | 2:19 PM

Local firefighters and members of the public surged into action after a grass fire sparked near the Rail Trail Canada Day.

Coldstream and Lavington Fire Departments were called out to the trail around 2 p.m. Wednesday after receiving reports of a fast moving grass and brush fire.

Crews arrived at the scene of the fire, which was roughly a half-hectare in size, and found area residents trying to suppress the flames using hoses and buckets of water.

Firefighters took over the operation and had the fire extinguished within minutes, but stayed on site for a few hours after to ensure the hot spots were fully out.

The fire, which was deemed accidental in nature, did not damage any structures or infrastructure. However, Coldstream Fire Chief Fiona Morgenthaler-Code, said it could easily have spread and caused a significant risk to the community, and gave credit to the members of the public who helped protect area homes.

The Fire Chief also asked people to be vigilant and cautious as the dry conditions pose a high risk of fires starting and spreading rapidly. 

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