Colwood firefighters were quick to extinguish a brush fire that was spotted around 6 a.m. on Thursday on the Royal Roads University campus.
Lt. Kyle Smith said the fire was caught quickly thanks to a resident who spotted it from Esquimalt Lagoon and called the department. The fire had spread to a roughly 10-by-10-foot stretch of brush and started to make its way up an old fir tree, reaching around 25 feet off the ground before it was extinguished.
The cause is still under investigation.
Smith said people should be mindful, with the fire risk rating high, to ensure cigarette butts are disposed of safely while they’re out in nature. Fires in urban natural spaces such as Royal Roads carry a risk as they are interface fires, meaning they have the potential to involve nearby buildings, he added.
Residents who live near a natural area with trees and brush can fireproof their properties, Smith said, pointing to firesmartbc.ca as a good source for tips.
Much of Greater Victoria is currently sitting at an extreme fire risk rating. A campfire ban was introduced for the Island on Aug. 4 and will be in place until Oct. 28, or until the order is rescinded.
READ MORE: B.C. wildfires: Blazes in southern regions continue to challenge crews
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