“It is dropping in chop and rub, a explosive oil and actually has an inclination to get bigger fairly quickly”, said lay off detail police officer Donna MacPherson of this very Coastal Fire Service.
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Wind has fanned the flames from the fire, which has already scorched well over 45 hectares. The wildfire is still zero per cent contained and more than 70 firefighters, six helicopters, and two pieces of heavy equipment are on scene for the human caused fire.
The massive Martin Mars water bomber was called in on Sunday to help fight fire on the west side of Harrison Lake.
“It’s an area of fairly high fire danger rating and it’s also a highly used recreational area”, she notes.
The fire is not threatening any homes or structures, but several nearby campsites have been evacuated by RCMP. “To have to divert resources and personnel, and expose ourselves to risk, to address a preventable human-caused fire, is certainly disappointing”, Skrepnek said.
The injuries ranged from smoke inhalation to suspected broken bones; 12 of the injured were firefighters and 19 people were taken to hospitals, the fire service said.
A fire discovered burning in slash and brush about 20 kilometres north of Harrison Hot Springs Sunday afternoon was started by humans, and has grown to more than one square kilometre.
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