The Agassiz and Seabird Island fire departments and B.C. Wildfire Service were on the scene of the first local wildfire of the year on Wednesday, April 14.
The Agassiz Fire Department reported the fire in the 2000 block of the Lougheed Highway near Mount Woodside outside of Harrison Mills; approximately half a hectare was on fire.
“Significant winds whipped the fire up and continued to push it towards the forest,” the Agassiz Fire Department said in a statement. “First-in crews aggressively attacked the fire and were able to contain it.” Seabird Island and B.C. Wildfire Service firefighters helped contain the blaze before it took hold of the underbrush.
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Agassiz fire chief Gerald Basten said Agassiz firefighters and the B.C. Wildfire Service attended the fire again the following morning to ensure it was out. When it was extinguished, just short of half a hectare was burned. Basten said the fire is believed to be human-caused, possibly due to a discarded cigarette.
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In total, 14 firefighters from the Agassiz Fire Department and two from Seabird Island attended with a first-response crew of four and one area response officer from the B.C. Wildfire Service.
As of Wednsday, April 21, there were 26 active wildfires in B.C.
This map from B.C. Wildfire Services pinpoints the April 14 fire. (Screenshot/B.C. Wildfire Services)
