Campfire used on the weekend caused cottage fire in Bala

CTV Barrie: Campfire caused cottage fire Fire officials determined an earlier campfire is to blame for a cottage fire in Bala.

A campfire last used on the weekend caused a massive blaze that destroyed a cottage near Bala Tuesday according to the Muskoka Lakes fire department.

The fire broke out around 2 p.m. at the cottage on Windsor Drive along Long Lake.

The fire department said the campfire was last used on Sunday.

Muskoka Lakes Fire Chief Richard Hayes told CTV News  the initial call was a grass fire, but when crews arrived on the scene the blaze had engulfed the cottage.

"It did not take long for this fire to spread and consume the whole structure," said Fire Chief Richard Hayes. "This is evidence of the dry conditions throughout the area and the reasoning for the fire danger rating to be at  extreme."

No one was at the cottage when the fire broke out.

"When we first arrived on scene the main structure was already a total loss, so we concentrated our efforts then into the surrounding structures and managed to maintain the fire within the property in question," said Hayes.

While crews battled the blaze, embers spread and caused a secondary bush fire at a property across the road and several spot fires at other cottages.

Police closed Windsor Drive at Muskoka Road 169.

The damage estimate is $570,000.