Photo: Contributed

Lumby fire crews were called to a brush fire Friday near the North Okanagan community.

The 20-metre by 20-metre brush fire was along a BC Hydro right of way five kilometres east of Lumby.

Fire Chief Tony Clayton said the cause of the fire is under investigation and while it is likely human caused, at this time it is not considered suspicious.

Clayton said some area residents began fighting the fire before the Lumby Fire Department arrived.

“It was a hard-to-get-into spot,” Clayton noted, adding once crews arrived the fire quickly put out.

Crews returned to the site this morning it make sure there were no hot spots in the area.

Clayton said even though it is fall, wildfires are still a real concern.

“My biggest concern is to make everybody aware that it is still dry out there,” he said. “We are getting moisture in the morning, but by late morning the grass is bone dry again. I don't recall it ever being this dry at this time of year.”

While the campfire ban has been lifted, Clayton said open burning is still not allowed.

“The open burning ban is still on, it's only campfires that are allowed. There is a lot of people who think they are allowed to burn their garden waste and that kind of stuff,” he said.

For more information on burning regulations, click here.