A forest fire in Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park Friday afternoon is believed to have been human-caused.
While investigators haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly how the 30-metre by 30-metre blaze was sparked, humans are the culprit.
“It was right behind the main parking lot, off of Kidston Road,” said Kelsey Winter, B.C. Forest Service fire information officer.
RCMP were also called in to assist with traffic and crowd control.
“The police and parks staff evacuated the park and locked all the gates,” said Gordon Molendyk, RCMP spokesperson.
Crews quickly contained the blaze, which is now in patrol status.
“We sent a lot of crews and made sure we got a good handle on it,” said Winter. “It also helped that Coldstream was out there.”
The Coldstream Fire Department was first on scene and helped knock the blaze down.
“They work hand-in-hand, this time of year they all work together,” said Molendyk.
“We were very fortunate,” he added. “It’s one of our most popular parks for hiking, etc.”
Another small fire was also sparked up Spanish Lake on the weekend, north of Highway 97 and west of Armstrong.
Although the rain aided all firefighting efforts, the mercury is rising this week and that has crews concerned, especially leading up to the long weekend.
“We are heading right back into hot and dry,” said Winter, reminding residents that the campfire ban is still in place.
“That’s always a concern when you have a bit of a reprieve.”
Those motoring through the bush are also urged to monitor their activity and make sure they don’t inadvertently spark a blaze.
“It’s not just campfires that can start wildfires,” said Winter of ATV’s and dirtbikes. “People need to start keeping a better eye on things like exhaust pipes.”
