A 911 call warning of a structure fire — and an aircraft report of flames and black smoke rising above Salt Spring — sent firefighters racing up Mount Maxwell Road as part of a busy summer day for island fire crews.
Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue (SSIFR) Chief Jamie Holmes said no one was injured at the fire, which was reported around 6 p.m. July 7 and destroyed a 20-by-20-foot shed; thanks to quick action by the homeowner and quick response by firefighters, the flames were contained to the structure and did not threaten the surrounding forest.
The fire was first discovered by the property’s owner, Holmes said, who arrived home to find a shed burning, called 911 and grabbed a hose to water down the area surrounding the blaze — from a safe distance.
Even as trucks were on their way, fire crews received an update from the Ministry of Forests’ Cobble Hill Fire Base — relaying news that an aircraft flying above Mount Maxwell had contacted them to report “visible flames and black smoke.”
“That’s one nice thing about being on the flight path to Victoria,” said Holmes. “When pilots flying over forested areas see something, they notify Cobble Hill — and then they pass that on to us.”
Holmes said since the report was adjacent to a lot of rapidly drying forest near a watershed area, SSIFR moved quickly to get as many firefighters into position as they could.
“You want to get a lot of ants on the hill, so to speak,” said Holmes. “Fortunately, the shed was well-spaced from trees and other structures on the property, and the homeowner was trying to get whatever water they could around to make sure it didn’t spread.”
It was a good tactic, Holmes said, noting that even “misting” the area around a fire with a residential hose can increase humidity and help keep a fire from spreading. And importantly, he added, the homeowner kept a safe distance until firefighters arrived.
“They didn’t go running in; they stayed safe and called 911,” said Holmes. “If you want to get closer, we’ll gladly welcome you to join the department, and we’ll put you in the right safety gear.”
Crews shuttled water tender trucks up and down the long driveway, he said, then thoroughly sprayed the area before leaving. Holmes said some 4,500 gallons of water were used, and 25 SSIFR members spent about three hours at the site.
The fire up Mount Maxwell Road was just one of the department’s nine emergency calls for the day, according to Holmes, ticking off a list from every corner of Salt Spring that included multiple alarm bells, four medical calls and a motor vehicle collision on Stewart Road — activating response from crews across Salt Spring’s multiple fire halls.
“Our career firefighters are here for that quick response, but we also really rely on our paid-on-call volunteers dropping everything they’re doing and going out,” said Holmes. “They all did a lot in one day. But that’s a summer Monday for us.”