Photo: Eric Stoelting

Crews fighting grass fire in Vernon

UPDATE 5:10 p.m.

Flames were between 4 and 5 feet high when fire crews arrived at a grassfire in Vernon on Friday afternoon, according to Vernon Fire Rescue Services.

Deputy Fire Chief Brian Parsons says heavy winds caused the fire to spread into the tall grass quite a ways.

“Did a great job knocking the fire down, at this time we're not quite sure what caused it,” said Parsons.

“We’d just like to remind everybody that it is still tinder dry, even though we're coming out of winter, we're still in a drought season, and fires like this can take off really quickly.”

Parsons said the fire got quite close to nearby outbuildings, but crews were able to knock the fire down before that happened.

ORIGINAL 4:48 p.m.

Vernon Fire Rescue Services have doused a grass fire.

Reports of the fire in the 6200 block of Okanagan Avenue began coming at about 4:15 p.m. Friday.

Castanet Reporter Darren Handschuh says the fire burned in an empty field and the fire appears to have come within 10 feet of a couple buildings, an old shed and a chicken coop.

Crews remain on scene spraying down the burned grass.

The cause of the fire is not known at this time.

Castanet has reached out to VFRS and RCMP for more information.

Photo: Darren Handschuh