Tamara Colebank was heading home to Hixon from Prince George on Saturday (May 11), when she spotted a red glow coming from bush near the train tracks that run alongside the east side of Highway 97 just past the weigh scales at Red Rock.
She found a spot to turn around and headed in her truck in the northbound lane until she came back to that spot and pulled over and confirmed there was indeed a fire, with two others burning nearby, also right beside the tracks.
Colebank called her friend in Hixon, Gerald Thompson, the Hixon Volunteer Fire Department chief, who told her to immediately call 9-1-1.
“I stayed until I heard the fire truck coming from Red Rock,” said Colebank.
“The train was stopped there. Obviously he put on his brakes for a reason because he knew something was going on.”
Conditions in the forest were dangerously dry after the previous day's hot and sunny conditions that raised thermometers into the mid-20s. Colebank was worried the three fires would spread and develop into a major blaze in the tinderbox conditions.
According to Hilary Erasmus, cultural and communications coordinator for the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George, multiple fires were reported on May 11 to the 9-1-1 dispatcher at about 9:42 p.m.
The dispatcher called the Red Rock-Stoner Fire Department to the scene and upon arrival firefighters saw three fires burning and requested mutual aid from the Buckhorn Volunteer Fire Department. Pineview VFD was also alerted to remain on standby.
Three firefighting vehicles/apparatus and 12 volunteer firefighter from the two stations were sent to the scene. They extinguished three fires and performed mop-up operations and were back at their firehalls by about 11 p.m.
There were no injuries.
“We will be looking into it to see if we can provide more information, but at this point no cause has been determined,” said Erasmus.
The area of the fires is about 30 kilometres south of Prince George, halfway to Hixon, just outside the jurisdiction of Hixon Fire Department.
Thompson says it’s possible the passing train might have sparked the three fires Colebank photographed.
“Because the train was stopped right there too, it could have involved the train,” said Thompson. “They stopped because there were sparks coming off of it, or something to that effect, we’re not exactly sure. I’m assuming that’s what happened, the train was parked right above (the fire).
“It seems unlikely that they would stop right where there’s a fire unless they were kind of causing it. I’m thinking the cause was a train brake or something. They made it through our town without causing any fires.”
The Citizen is awaiting comment from CN Rail regarding Saturday’s incident.
If you spot a fire call the BC Wildfire Service at 1-800-663-5555 or on your cell phone call *5555.
