Potential disaster averted

Photo: Sean C Miller

North Westside Fire Rescue quickly doused a suspicious brush fire Tuesday evening.

The timing could not have been any better when a suspicious brush fire was spotted on the Westside.

North Westside Fire Rescue Fire Chief Jason Satterthwaite said the brush fire in the Killiney Beach area was reported at around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday – the same night the NWFR holds its weekly practice.

“It was a regularly scheduled practice night, so everyone was at the hall dressed and ready to go,” said Satterthwaite, noting crews knocked down the fire quickly.

The fire grew to 15 square meters, but given the current conditions it could have been much worse.

“We were fortunate there was no wind. It was on a hillside. The terrain here is very similar to Lake Country. If the conditions were different it could have been much worse,” said Satterthwaite, referring to the Okanagan Centre fire that destroyed several homes on the weekend.

Satterthwaite said the fire is being considered suspicious because it started in an vacant lot at the bottom of the hill and witnesses said a truck was seen speeding from the lot minutes before the fire was reported.