A riverside park in Hope was the site of the latest blaze in the small town, as the Fraser Canyon works through an active fire season.
A fire broke out on Saturday in the forested park, among tall, dry grasses and drought-stricken trees. The park is between 7th Avenue and Golf Course Road, along the Coquihalla River.
One man in the area was quick to spot the fire and called 9-1-1. He grabbed a shovel and got to work throwing dirt on the flames. Several others joined him and worked to suppress the flames with shovels and even their own feet.
The fire scorched a large portion of the park but was then doused by the Hope Volunteer Fire Department and B.C. Wildfire crews. With homes lining the park, the fire would be considered an interface fire. The cause of the fire has not been released.
“Quick response stopped a fast moving wildfire this afternoon in Hope,” the Hope Fire Department noted on their Facebook page. “A reminder to exercise caution in and around trails and parks always.”
There have been a handful of small fires with dangerous potential this summer in and around Hope. Last week there was a large fire in a farmer’s field in Laidlaw. There has also been a fire along the train tracks at Richmond Drive, and a truck that caught fire on Hwy. 5 near Othello Tunnels.
READ MORE: Trans Mountain workers jump in to help battle wildland fire in Laidlaw
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Firefighters speak at the site of a fast-moving fire in a forested park in Hope on Aug. 14, 2021. (Hope Fire Department photo)
