Humans to blame for fire on Chatham Island, fire officials and Parks Canada say

Fire crews and parks staff were on the scene Friday of a humancaused beach fire on Chatham Island, off Oak Bay, the Coastal Fire Centre’s Donna McPherson said.

The fire centre and Parks Canada responded to reports of smoke coming from the island on Friday morning, she said.

“Parks Canada had arrived already on a boat before our crews got there and have been working on the fire,” McPherson said. “We sent an initial-attack crew and a helicopter.”

She said the fire, which measured about 10 metres by 30 metres, was just smouldering by 11:30 a.m.

Chatham and part of neighbouring Discovery Island are Songhees First Nation territory and off limits to the public. Songhees Chief Ron Sam said a campaign was launched a few years ago to let the public know about the restrictions, but intrusions continue.

Meanwhile, firefighting efforts are going well at the Tugwell Creek wildfire near Sooke, McPherson said.

The fire covers about 84 hectares and is about 70 per cent contained as of Friday. Seventyfour people were at the site battling it. McPherson said the fire was human-caused, but it is not known exactly how it started.

McPherson said things are also going well at the Rush Creek fire near Nanaimo.

Twenty-three firefighters continued Friday to fight the blaze, which is being held at 14.5 hectares.