Beach fire a reminder of risks of dry conditions: Vancouver firefighters

Public warned after fire near Wreck Beach Vancouver fire officials are warning the public to be careful after a fire flared up near Wreck Beach.

Vancouver fire officials are warning the public to be careful with campfires now that dry conditions have set in.

The warning followed a fire on a trail near Wreck Beach which erupted in the early evening on one of the hottest days of 2018. Smoke was noticed pouring from the site near the University of British Columbia campus around 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, a witness said.

"We took a look and it was a burning tree. The tree was on fire," Tony Jarjoura told CTV News.

He and other bystanders acted fast.

"We kind of rallied together and grabbed some shovels and headed up there, but it was pretty high up the hill," he said.

Another witness, Jean Lacombe, said by the time he reached the scene, the fire had grown to cover a wide area about two-thirds of the way down the cliff from Marine Drive.

"By the time we all rushed there, it was already too late. The fire had spread, pretty much."

About 30 firefighters and a fire boat were brought in to attack the flames from above and below. The blaze was in a tricky area, and crews had to navigate a steep trail to reach it.

"It was a large old tree that had been decaying," Asst. Chief Kevin Wilson said of the point of origin.

"It was about 75 feet, 80 feet in height and the fire was burning at about the 60-foot mark on the tree. So it was burning through the stump and up the tree."

The fire is believed to be human caused. There has been no lightning in the last few days, and crews found beer cans near the base of the tree.

Firefighters worked through the night to put out the flames, but the fire was still smouldering Wednesday morning. They used shovels and buckets of water to douse the burning embers.

What was left behind of the burned tree was cut down. Its roots were exposed, the soil around it having been washed away by firefighting efforts.

Park rangers closed off the area and urged beachgoers to be more careful.

The last few days of unusually high temperatures mean the fire danger rating is moderate to high around the province. Most of the Lower Mainland falls into the moderate category, meaning there is an increased risk of surface fires as forest fuels dry out.

In areas where the risk is high, fires can spark easily, burn "vigorously," and be difficult to put out, the province's wildfire service says. Extreme caution should be used.

Tuesday's fire in the tree canopy is a major concern, fire officials said.

"Most of our fires are started by humans accidentally, so we appreciate them being extra cautious and taking care in the dry underbrush," Wilson said.

There are currently no campfire bans in place in the province, though open fires are banned or restricted in parts of B.C.

With a report from CTV Vancouver's Nafeesa Karim