Grass fire sparked north of Vernon

SPALLUMCHEEN – Emergency crews weren’t taking any chances with a small grass fire just north of Vernon beside Highway 97.

Fire information officer Kelsey Winter says B.C. Wildfire crews were on the ground alongside firefighters from the Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department in an area roughly 15 kilometres north of Vernon near Gurney Creek.

The fire, which started sometime after 2 p.m. Friday, July 17, grew to 0.5 hectares in size before it was put out and was categorized as a rank one fire, meaning there was no open flame.

Air support was initially called in but were not needed. There were no structures being threatened.

The fire danger rating spiked with recent hot and dry weather and Winter says plenty of resources are on hand.

“It’s still really dry out there and it is windy,” she says.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation but is believed to be human caused.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724. 

— This story was updated at 9:54 a.m., Saturday, July 18, 2015 to indicate the fire was out.