Grass fire cause unknown

Fire investigators are still trying to determine the cause of a grass fire that briefly raged out of control above an elementary school in Oliver Wednesday.

Ministry of Forests Information Officer, Dale Bojahra, says there was no lightning in the area, so the fire was definitely human caused.

"Our fire cause investigator is working with the Oliver Fire Department. They're going over witness accounts and statements, hoping to a better conclusion as to the cause," says Bojahra.

He says while the fire is out, crews have been at the scene all day Thursday mopping up and tending to a few hot spots.

Bojahra says Wednesday's fire should serve as a reminder that, despite the date, fire season is not quite over.

"There still is a fire hazard out there. This fire did grow to about five hectares in size, which is about 10 football fields. Fire season isn't quite over yet."

Bojahra says it usually takes an event such as a large rainfall to signal the end of the fire season.

"We got some rain a while back, but it wasn't quite enough as we noticed yesterday."

As far as Wednesday's fire, Bojahra says the fire was close to homes and a school, however crews got a break in that the winds were blowing away from the houses and the fire was on an upslope.

"Fire tends to move uphill as opposed to down."