A wildfire near Range Road north of Vernon on Saturday, July 28, 2018 is seen in this submitted photo. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED

VERNON - A small wildlife that burned north of Vernon on Saturday afternoon may have been caused by illegal campers.

B.C. Wildfire Service confirmed the cause of the fire, which was just over half a hectare in size, was under investigation as it is suspected to have been caused by human activity. B.C. Wildfire also confirmed the fire, located off Range Road, near Salmon River Road, just off Highway 97 around 25 kilometres north of Vernon, was under control.

Vernon resident Cory Brewer said he called 911 when he spotted smoke coming from the area while driving east on Highway 97 at around 2:30 p.m. on July 28.

Brewer, who grew up in the area and whose mother still lives nearby, said he drove along Range Road and found an abandoned campsite containing a burnt tent and sleeping along with a fire pit.

"It looked like someone had been up there a while," he said. Brewer said he also saw white Ford pickup truck driving along Range Road. Brewster said when the truck spotted him it quickly turned around and drove away.

Brewer said he got the impression the driver did not want to be seen. Brewer also said he'd heard from nearby residents that people had been camping in the area.

Owner of Tim's by the River Campsite, Tim Isaac, said he also saw the abandoned campsite when he visited the site a July 29.

"The fire pit looked like it had been well used," he said.

Isaac, who has owned the campsite for 18-years, said he wasn't aware anyone was camping at the site but pointed out the location was accessible from several different roads and that illegal campers had been an issue in the area. He said a locked gate had been installed along Range Road, which is on Okanagan Indian Band land, but the lock had been cut several times since the gate was put up last year.

Isaac, whose campsite is located about 1.5 km from the fire, said he was worried for the safety of the roughly 50 campers that were staying at his place on Saturday.

"Anytime you see smoke in the hills you know it could go anywhere quick," he said.

Brewer said fire crews were on the ground within about 15 minutes of his 911 call and he was impressed with how quickly they got the fire under control. Brewer said the fire was "climbing up the trees" when he first saw it, but it appeared to have been put under control by firefighters when he left the scene about 45 minutes later.

A campfire ban is currently in effect in the area.

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