Monday, August 02, 2010

Grass fire likely human caused

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Okanagan Landing Fire Chief Ed Forslund says fireworks or flares may be the cause of Monday's early morning grass fire. Prior to the fire above the 8300 block of Okanagan Landing Road, Forslund says fireworks or flares were seen in the area. "I would highly suspect that either a flare or firework is what caused the fire. We're in an extreme fire hazard right now and for someone to be letting off fireworks or flares is a really big concern to me. This had the potential to be very serious," says Forslund. Despite steep terrain, the 16 firefighters on scene managed to extinguish the fire in three hours. "It was a tough go for our guys working the fire," says Forslund. The weather also cooperated, slowing the spread of the fire. "We had hardly any wind, it died right down and then we got a little rain shower." The fire could have been a lot worse, says Forslund, who initially called for backup from forestry crews. An investigator will be on scene to determine the cause of the blaze.

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