Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue was called to Caughlin Road in Fruitvale Saturday afternoon to put out a sizable brush fire caused by a homeowner burning off dead grass.
The 9-1-1 was received at the Rossland Avenue hall just after 2 p.m.
A three-man crew from Station 374 Trail was joined by two firefighters from Montrose and eight from Station 376 Fruitvale.
Captain Jason Milne says the brush fire burned an area measuring approximately a half acre.
“The fire was quickly extinguished by responding crews,” he said.
The incident was under control by 3:05 p.m.
This brush fire comes just days before the province starts enacting most open burning activities throughout British Columbia to lessen the likelihood of human-caused wildfires, though campfires are still permitted.
The province says open burning prohibitions will reduce demands on firefighting resources and help protect the health and safety of the public, as well as BC Wildfire Service staff.
They will also help reduce the impact of wildfire smoke on air quality and public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A strategic deployment of wildfire management resources is critical this fire season, so it is especially important to reduce the number of unnecessary, human-caused wildfires,” the release reads.
“It is vital BC Wildfire Service staff remain healthy to respond to wildfires throughout the 2020 season and ensure the BC Wildfire Service’s response capability is not affected.”
During the coronavirus pandemic, larger open burns pose an unnecessary risk and could detract from wildfire detection and response capabilities.
The open burning prohibitions coming into effect on April 16 should decrease the number of false alarms, where firefighters respond to a report of smoke, only to find the smoke is coming from a controlled burn and not from a wildfire.
These open burning prohibitions also support the BC Centre for Disease Control’s recommendation to help reduce excess air pollution in airsheds throughout the province.
Anyone found in contravention of an open burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
