A bush fire came uncomfortably close to a home on West Kalamalka Lake late Sunday night. The flames came within metres of the home, threatening to set it ablaze. Witnesses reported seeing the flames from miles away. It took an all out response from the Ministry of Forests and four area fire departments to stop the fire and save the home. The fire began just outside of Coldstream, in Area 'B' around 9:45 Sunday night. Fire Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek says the fire burned roughly a half acre of land. "As of this morning it is 100 percent contained, and we had personnel there overnight working on it." An email to Castanet says it started near the Stoneridge Drive
residential fire which occurred August 20, on the same west side of
Kalamalka Lake and a few hundred metres to the south. The flames were first noticed by the water near the railway tracks. Because of the dryness, and the threat posed if the flames spread to
nearby communities, fire crews from the Coldstream, Lavington, BX and
Spallumcheen Fire Departments were brought in. "Forestry called ut other...fire departments to assist based on the
fact that they didn't want it to get away. It was really rugged, rough
terrain, and dark," says Coldstream Fire Chief Shane Code. "We staged on the (Coldstream) border, which is the Kalamalka Lake Lookout."
Okanagan Landing also deployed their fire boat to help in the attack. Code added that they were grateful there was no wind, otherwise the flames would have spread. "Given how dry it is, I'm glad of that," says Code. His crews were able to stand down by 2:00 a.m. There was no serious damage to the home and no one was reported injured.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation but Code says he
wasn't aware of any lightning in the area, meaning it was likely
man-made.
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