The City of Kimberley announced on Wednesday, August 5, 2020, that the small wildfire west of the city had been extinguished.
The lightning-caused fire began on August 2 and did not grow larger than 9.5 hectares because is was hit hard by the BC Wildfire Service.
Mayor Don McCormick says that the fire was actually only four kilometres from city limits on the ski hill.
“Thankfully, the BC wildfire Service had the resources to hit the fire hard quickly,” McCormick said. “They had anticipated the heat wave and mobilized resources from around the province to the southeast.
“It was just on our doorstep, perilously close to the city. It was taken very seriously by the BC Wildfire Service and by our own fire department.”
McCormick says that the little scare was a good reminder that just because we haven’t had a bad fire season for a couple of years, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be very careful.
“We are at the dry point in the season. It’s not just lightning caused fires we have to worry about, but human caused as well.
“With all the visitors in town and all the camping going on because people are sticking close to home because of COVID, people need to be reminded that campfires and cigarettes are dangerous. You need to be very, very careful to make sure they are out.”
It is also a good reminder that the fire mitigation work that the City of Kimberley has embarked on in the St. Mary Valley needs to move more quickly, he says.
All the agencies involved; the City, the provincial ministries have to keep the work top of mind and moving, the mayor says.