Forest fires continue to plague the West Shore.
A suspicious fire broke out in Highlands on Thursday, Sept. 6 at about 11:30 p.m. near Millstream Lake Road and Munns Road.
An RCMP officer arrived first and saw flames in the woods. He used his fire extinguisher on the blaze, which slowed it down until the Highlands Volunteer Fire Department arrived.
Police came to the area because a resident called West Shore RCMP to report a man who had come to their door asking for water to put out a fire. The man filled up a two-litre bottle with water and then drove away.
RCMP would like to speak to the man who came to the resident’s door. Anyone with information on the man or the fire is also asked to call.
The man is in his 20s or early 30s, over six feet tall, polite and well spoken, clean shaven, strong jaw and with dark hair. He was driving a black vehicle and may have had a passenger with him.
“The actions of our resident, contacting police and starting to get the ball rolling, did a fantastic job because we were able to have a quick response to that fire which didn’t endanger any homes or any people,” said RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Kathy Rochlitz,
RCMP also attended a small brush fire in Metchosin on Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 8 p.m. in the 4400-block of Lindholm Rd. Police helped Metchosin Volunteer Fire Department with traffic control as firefighters fought the blaze on the side of the road.
RCMP are asking everyone to be careful in the dry conditions.
“Fires can make a significant impact in our community. They cause a lot of time and energy to fight and we would rather prevent them than to see them actually happen,” Rochlitz said. “We want to remind people to be careful, discard cigarettes in the appropriate place, because it can endanger lives very, very quickly.”
The West Shore is under a ban on all open burning.
Anybody with information on recent forest fires is asked to call West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
