Three fires spark concern

Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

The Shingle Creek fire scene on Monday

Marlowe Sam was at work at the En'owkin Centre on Monday afternoon, when he received the unwelcome news a fire was burning not far from his home.

He couldn't leave immediately but made his way to his house at the corner of Shingle Creek Road and Green Mountain Road as quickly as he could.

"A co-worker told me the Penticton Indian Band, (fire department), was up there, and my wife was already up there," he said. "I got up about 20 minutes later and just went to our home and watched to see how serious it was."

Adding to his concern was it is the third fire off of Green Mountain Road this summer. The first, in July, burned up near the Apex Mountain Guest Ranch.

An evacuation alert went into affect for 13 properties on Green Mountain Road and Apex Mountain Road, and was in affect for several days after the fire broke out.

The second in August, was in the same vicinity as Monday's fire, and also named the Shingle Creek fire.

It burned approximately 17.5 hectares.

Sam said after the first Shingle Creek fire that burned near his home there were investigators out there for a few days.

"It makes me think it was deliberately set, because we just had the one up the road at Apex Mountain Guest Ranch, human caused," he said. "So it's obviously cause for concern."

The only reason he's glad the August fire happened, he added, was it burned off brush and trees closer to his home, and acted like a fire guard for the more recent one.

By Monday night both he and his wife returned to business as usual, and he was back at work on Tuesday.

Penticton Indian Band Chief Barry Phillip who responded along with forestry crews, the RCMP and BC Ambulance on Monday afternoon, said they were still looking into the cause.

He said there is always a worry when there are a lot of people driving up and down a road, but it is not a huge concern at this point.

Most important, he stated, is people need to be aware of the dry conditions out there.

"People just need to be cautious," he said. "Even though fall is right around the corner, it is still really dry. Usually everything is calming down by now, but the fire season seems to be really going into fall."

RCMP Sgt. Rick Dellebuur said fires are always a concern, however at this time he is not aware of any links or concerns, particularly with the fires up there.

A forestry crew was at the scene mopping up on Tuesday. Crew leader Jarrett Achsen estimated it burned around 15 hectares. The cause was undetermined, he added