Smoke rising from a slash pile near Canim-Hendrix Road on Tuesday, April 20. (Patrick Davies photo - 100 Mile Free Press)

Blaze on Canim-Hendrix Lake Road a false alarm

The smoke was coming from a legal under-control slash pile

  • Apr. 20, 2021 12:00 a.m.

UPDATE: A wildfire reported near Forest Grove this morning turned out to be a controlled burn on private land.

100 Mile Fire Rescue chief Roger Hollander, whose team responded to support the Forest Grove Volunteer Fire Department, said the reported blaze was a false alarm. The property owner on Bates Road was burning wood that was producing large quantities of smoke, making the fire look worse than it was.

Hollander said upon arrival the crew found the homeowner supervising the blaze. He was in possession of a proper permit for the activity. 100 Mile Fire Rescue has already responded to well over 100 calls so far this year, he added, so they take every report seriously.

Hollander reminds the community to be vigilant when burning and to make sure they have the proper permits for their fire, be it a campfire or slash pile. While there no fire bans currently in place, he suspects B.C. Wildfire will be implementing them soon.

ORIGINAL STORY: Firefighters are responding to another fire on Canim-Hendrix Lake Road.

The fire, in the 4600-block of Canim-Hendrix Lake, was reported just after 10:15 a.m. It is reported to be the size of a football field.

It’s the latest in a string of fires in the South Cariboo, including three multiple fires near the 100 Mile House sewage treatment plant on Canim-Hendrix Lake Road and a five-hectare blaze on Resort Road between Canim and Hendrix lakes. Firefighters also responded to two back-to-back fires in Forest Grove and one in 105 Mile last week.


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