Volunteer fire chief warns against burning grass after uncontrolled fire accidentally started

The president and chief of the McLeese Lake volunteer fire department is warning people in the Cariboo not to burn grass at this time of year after a local man accidentally started an uncontrolled fire.

The man, who lives on a property near the Cariboo Highway about half an hour north of Williams Lake, was trying to burn some dry grass to remove fuel for possible wildfires, but things didn't go as expected, said volunteer fire chief Ian Hicks. 

"It was windy and the grass is super dry, and that's a bad combination," said Hicks. "This resident lit the fire and within 15 seconds it [was] taking off like a raging animal all the way across the field up into the trees and then going into no-man's land."

The grass fire spread nearly one kilometre before the volunteer fire department was able to stop it.

Unintentional consequences

Firefighters were particularly concerned about the grass fire, because the property where it started is attached to nearly 1,000 acres of hay fields that head towards the direction of town, Hicks told Daybreak Kamloops' Jenifer Norwell.

"There was smoke so thick that the cars were disappearing into it on the highway."

Hicks does not believe the resident had any intention of starting an uncontrolled fire.

"When you hit dry grass, it can travel as fast as you can run. So the fire just runs away from you like a dog off a leash."

Town effort

The volunteer fire department sent eight firefighters in a small fire truck and Hicks went out in his personal fire truck. The volunteer department's three large fire trucks were unavailable, because they were decommissioned for the winter. 

"There was some comical small town type heroism that happened with this other resident that happened to live nearby," said Hicks. 

The resident took his own fire truck into the field until he got stuck and then pulled out a bunch of hose and started spraying, said Hicks. 

"It just turned into one of these small town ... fire brigade type of things."

Luckily, the wind worked in their favour and blew the fire down the side of the highway, which created a firebreak, said Hicks.

In the end, the fire was brought under control and everything turned out well, he said.

The resident responsible for starting the fire will have to pay for any damages, including the burnt Hydro poles. 

Use a weed eater

Community members are weary of fires after the devastating wildfires that burned nearby in the summer of 2017, said Hicks.

However, he doesn't recommend burning grass to get rid of fuel at this time of year, especially when it's windy. 

"You don't ever light grass on fire if there's wind, because then the next thing you know it will start roaring," said Hicks.

Instead, Hicks recommends using a weedeater to eliminate tall, dry grasses, because fire often spreads faster than people expect.

"If it's an area bigger than 10 or 15 feet and it's tall ... over six inches tall of dry grass and you light it, it's going to run like a dog. So, be prepared that when you touch the match to it, it's going to literally explode."