The Balfour Harrop Volunteer Fire Department quickly contained a structure fire close to Kokanee Creek Provincial Park at approximately 8:00 a.m. on July 22 after receiving a call from a local resident.
A news release from the Regional District of Central Kootenay states that the fire had taken over a small automotive shop located on private property. With the assistance of the North Shore and the Nelson fire departments, 21 responders had the fire completely extinguished within two hours.
“Some trees surrounding the property were charred by the fire and the building had to be torn down to ensure there were no remaining embers that could potentially re-ignite,” the news release states.
The fire closed Highway 3A for a few hours.
Pat Hergott, chief of the Balfour Harrop fire department, who led the response, commented on the use of FireSmart wildfire risk mitigation efforts in place at the neighbouring home.
“The fire wasn’t able to spread to the neighbouring residence, thanks to the 20 feet of rock surrounding the home. This is a great example of how implementing FireSmart recommendations at your home can make a significant difference in preventing the spread of fire and protecting your property in a situation like this.”
To learn more about FireSmart and schedule an assessment, Nelson residents should call 250-352-3103 and residents outside the city should visit www.rdck.ca/firesmart.