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Central Okanagan  

Brush fire in Oyama

Update -- July 31, 3 pm

If it wasn't for some quick thinking, the small brush fire in Oyama on Wednesday afternoon could have been a lot worse.

Jennifer Madsen, co-owner of Oyama Zipline says one of her employees had just left for the day when he suddenly returned and said there was a car on fire down the road.

Together with Madsen, a group of eight staff members rushed to the scene armed with fire extinguishers.

"The car was fully engulfed,” says Madsen by the time they arrived.

“What had happened was he was coming up the hill, but was going too fast. (He) skidded off the road, got stuck, and trying to get out, he overheated his engine and the car started on fire.”

Some members of the group went below the car and started to battle a grass fire that could have threatened some trees and a home nearby.

“Had they not acted the way they did, it would have caught the trees on fire and then we would have had a much bigger situation going on.”

She says the local fire department was quickly on scene and took control of the situation.


Original story July 30

Warm temperatures and dry conditions worried local fire crews after a vehicle backfired and flames spread to nearby brush along Oyama Lake Road.

Forestry crews were initially called in with a Bird Dog to take a look at the situation, but fire information officer Melissa Welsh says they have been told to stand down.

Lake Country Fire department remains on scene, but Welsh says the blaze appears to be under control.

The vehicle was extensively damaged in the blaze.

It is not known if any structures were threatened, but the situation appears to be contained.



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