Smoke could be seen filling the skies of the Fraser Valley late Sunday afternoon, including over a section of northern Langley where a fast spreading fire threatened a Glen Valley home.
Due in part to the extra dry and hot weather, Township of Langley fire crews received multiple calls just before 6 p.m. about a brush fire quickly passing through brush and fields in the 25400-block of 88th Avenue.
The cause of the fire is believed to be a semi-tractor that malfunctioned and dropped a piece of hot metal into a field, sparking the blaze, said deputy Township fire chief Bruce Ferguson.
Having ignited from several spot fires, the fire turned into a blaze that took down hydro lines and ripped through some farm vehicles and pallets. Another section of flames apparently threatened a nearby residence, requiring firefighters to set up a guard.
“We had all of our tankers there,” said Ferguson. Glen Valley does not have fire hydrants for most of its area, meaning water has to be trucked in to fight fires.
It took a significant amount of time for crews to mop up after the fire was under control.
Ferguson said the last crews left the site at 12:30 a.m. Monday, having spent more than six hours dousing hot spots and making sure there were no more fires.
He was not sure exactly how much of the approximately 40-acre property burned.
Langley RCMP were in the area of the fire as well.
The file remains open and under investigation, according to Cpl. Craig van Herk, a spokesperson for the Langley RCMP.
