The fire started on April 27 above Mission Flats Road. Kamloops Fire Rescue extinguished the fire from above, on the Summit Drive hairpin turn.
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April 28, 2022 - 12:20 PM
An overnight grassfire was quickly tackled by Kamloops firefighters before it travelled up the steep terrain.
Kamloops Fire Rescue spokesperson Jeff Point said the fire was traced to a homeless encampment above Mission Flats Road, but the direct cause is hard to pinpoint.
"It's along the same lines as the fire near (Thompson Rivers University) last weekend," Pont said. "There was a homeless camp nearby. The fire started and we responded quickly, but there were challenges with access."
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At least two engines showed up to the scene last night, April 27, where crews tackled the fire from the hairpin turn on Summit Drive because of the steep terrain.
The fire near the university started on April 16 in a gully, which was also traced back to a homeless encampment.
In both cases the steep terrain and dry grass provided easy opportunity for them to spread quickly up the hill. Pont added, however, that the fires were quick to access because they were within city limits. He also said while a grassfire can spread quickly, especially in the current dry conditions, they typically have low fuel loads and are easier to extinguish once controlled.
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Pont could not say exactly when crews responded to the scene or how long it took to extinguish, but he said the fire was handled last night.
He also said that it's difficult to determine what exactly caused the fire once the area is burned, but it was likely to be caused by an illegal campfire.
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