Cause of grass fire Sunday in Nelson remains under investigation
By Nelson Daily Staff
Nelson Fire & Rescue Services said the cause of grass fire Sunday afternoon on Lakeside Drive near the Nelson Airport remains under investigation.
In a media release, Nelson Fire & Rescue said firefighters responded to numerous 911 calls shortly after 3 p.m. reporting a spreading fire in the grass in the 200 block of Lakeside Drive.
Nelson Fire & Rescue said both on duty members responded immediately with four additional members responding from home.
“Upon arrival of the first crew, a 20-metre by 20-metre grass fire was burning,” Nelson Fire & Rescue said.
(The fire) was slowing spreading towards the gravel road nearby.”
Nelson Fire & Rescue said the first arriving crew’s primary objective was to prevent the fire from spreading past the road to another grassy area adjacent to the RDCK office building.
“Fortunately. the wind was light at the time and the embers were not carrying very far,” Nelson Fire & Rescue said.
“As a precaution the crew walked the area where the embers were blowing to ensure that no additional fires were ignited.”
“Before leaving the scene, the area was wet down with hose streams,” Nelson Fire & Rescue added.
“Crews were able to fully extinguish the fire using hose lines with a water/foam mix.”
Nelson Fire & Rescue said the fire appears to have originated in an area frequented by persons either camping or recreating as there was a fair bit of debris in the area, including a large number of bottles and cans.
In all, six firefighters responded to the incident with two fire engines, and one utility vehicle.
No injuries were reported as a result of this incident.
Nelson Fire & Rescue Services would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to be extra careful with ignition sources around the extra dry grass fuels right now and that if they see a fire to call 911 right away as even a grass fire can spread very quickly with a small amount of wind.
Nelson Fire & Rescue crews extinguish a grass fire on Lakeside Drive near the Nelson Airport Sunday afternoon. — Nelson Fire & Rescue Services photo
The grass fire Sunday on Lakeside Drive scorched a 20 X 20 metre patch of grass. — Nelson Fire & Rescue Services photo
