Residents save home

Residents of Westwold are being credited with saving a home from possible destruction due to fire.

The North Okanagan community is outside the boundaries of any fire protection district, so they depend on a 'community fan-out' to local resident for assistance.

The latest incident occurred Thursday evening in a mobile home at Elliot Spring Farm.

Kamloops Fire Department were advised and North Okanagan RCMP did attend.

"The fire is believed to have started in the attic of an addition to the home where the main source of heat was a wood stove," says Vernon RCMP Constable, Cathy Scott.

"A collection of pine cones were located in the attic near the wood stove stack pipe and it is believed that squirrels are responsible."

Scott says RCMP assisted residents of Westwold in attacking the fire with small household buckets of water.

"Residents continued to fight the fire with a garden hose and several dry chemical extinguishers. Access was gained to the attic and the fire was extinguished."

Two occupants of the home were able to get out unharmed.

Damage is estimated at about $25,000.