Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue responded to a brush fire on Marsh Creek Road just outside of Fruitvale on Thursday, June 18.
Four firefighters from Station 376 Fruitvale and two from Station 374 in Trail responded to a call that went out at 4:43 p.m. and were on scene by 5 p.m.
When crews arrived they found a second fire burning, and promptly doused both fires within approximately 30 minutes.
According to KBRFR captain Grant Tyson, the fires were suspicious in nature, and similar to a call they had received last year.
The two fires were about 20 feet apart in a location just past the Marsh Creek Campground, but not linked to open burning.
Open Burning: The Southeast Fire Centre (SEFC) temporarily lifted bans on open burning for Category 2 and 3 fires.
After looking at weather patterns and considering the time of year, the British Columbia Wildfire Service identified a brief window to temporarily allow Category 2 open burning throughout the entire SEFC and Category 3 open burning in specified areas.
The fire centre and KBRFR is encouraging anyone that is planning to conduct an open burn to check the ventilation index, follow the open burning smoke control regulations and follow safe burning practices.
Anyone wishing to light a Category 3 open fire must first obtain a burn registration number.
The fire ban for open burning was lifted at noon on Thursday.
Category 3 open burning is permitted for the Arrow, Kootenay Lake, and Columbia fire zones within the SEFC. However, the Category 3 prohibitions will remain in effect for the Boundary, Cranbrook, and Invermere fire zones.
Category 2 open burns include:
one or two concurrently burning piles no larger than two metres high by three metres wide
stubble or grass burning over an area of less than 0.2 hectares in size
the use of fireworks
burn barrels and burn cages
sky lanterns
exploding binary targets
Category 3 open burning includes :
fires larger than two metres high by three metres wide
three or more concurrently burning piles no larger than two metres high by three metres wide
the burning of stubble or grass over an area greater than 0.2 hectares
the burning of one or more windrows
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