Sechelt firefighters are used to dealing with throngs of on-lookers at fire scenes, but not on April 30.
"The streets were empty," said fire Chief Bill Higgs. "It was surreal, but I guess everybody was sitting at home in front of the TV watching the Canucks game."
The veteran firefighter was as equally disappointed to miss the game as he was amazed at the size of a brush fire located between Shorncliffe Lodge and Chatelech Secondary School.
"It was a rank one or two fire," he said. "It was moving about as fast as you could walk and got within about 100 feet of Shorncliffe [care home]."
The call came in around 5:30 p.m. Higgs said his crew of 32 plus 12 firefighters from the Halfmoon Bay and Roberts Creek fire halls and four Ministry of Forests and Range staff didn't wrap up the crisis until 9. Helicopter support was contacted, but told to turn back when Higgs said they were certain the fire was under control.
"We were lucky that day there was no wind at all," said Higgs.
Higgs said the fire was likely a combination of human error and environmental circumstances. He found empty bottles, cans, and cigarette packages along trails in the area.
"There was not a lot of rain in the last month. It's that weird time period where things are combustible. Low humidity and sunlight, no shade on the ground - we just got it in time," said Higgs.
He said if there had been any wind that night, it would have triggered an evacuation of Shorncliffe where seniors with varying degrees of mobility live.
Higgs said the situation was a reminder of what could happen this summer in a hot, dry spell. He said the department has responded to a few calls recently due to fires starting after cigarette butts have been carelessly disposed of.
