Taghum, Beasley residents on high alert after wildfire spotted near Beasley Bluffs
By Nelson Daily Staff
For a few frightful hours Wednesday afternoon, residents of Taghum and Beasley were on high alert after a wildfire was spotted near the Beasley Bluffs on Highway 3A, 10 kilometers west of Nelson.
However, a combined effort by local volunteer fire departments in the Regional District of Central Kootenay, Nelson Fire Rescue, YRB (Yellowhead Road & Bridge) and BC Wildfire Service quickly quelled the approximately one hectare blaze.
“A small wildfire below Highway 3A at the Beasley Bluffs was reported around (3 p.m.) this afternoon,” said the Regional District of Central Kootenay Emergency Operations Centre in a media release.
“The Beasley fire department responded with support from the City of Nelson, Crescent Valley and Blewett fire departments.”
“The Southeast Fire Centre had sent (two) helicopters and two fire crews to the scene.”
At the scene of the fire, a Beasley resident told The Nelson Daily how he was driving past when he noticed the wildfire.
“I immediately dialed 9-1-1 to report the fire,” he said. “We tried to put it out with some 5-gallon cans.”
Sean Dooley, an employee with Selkirk Paving was next on the scene.
Dooley was amazed at how quick the response time from local Beasley department as well as BC Wildfire Service.
“It seemed like only minutes that they arrived,” Dooley said, thrust into the role of a flagger as he quickly turned westbound traffic around on Highway 3A while firefighters went to work.
John Boivin, Fire Information Officer at the Southeast Fire Centre told The Nelson Daily the call came in from the Beasley Fire Department for assistance.
BC Wildfire sent two helicopters as well as ground crews to support the local fire departments.
With an abundance of water in Kootenay Lake minutes away from the wildfire, helicopters dropped buckets of water to support the ground crews.
Nelson Fire Rescue as well as firefighters from Crescent Valley and Blewett assisted on the ground.
"Mutual Aid was key to fighting this fire and getting it under control," said Monica Spencer of the Beasley Fire Rescue.
"The fire traveled super fast up the bank and came right up to the no-posts on the highway," added former Beasley Fire Chief Al Craft.
RCMP arrived on the scene to divert traffic along Blewett Road on the South Side of Kootenay River at the Taghum Bridge and east of South Slocan Bridge.
Officers also kept the public away from the fire scene as the cause remains under investigation although a Kootenay Valley Railway train had traveled the tracks before the wildfire was reported.
The wildfire was brought under control in the late afternoon.
Highway 3A between Taghum and Beasley was closed while fire crews mopped up the fire, looking for hotspots but re-opened to traffic Wednesday evening.
BC Wildfire Service will have crews monitoring the area overnight.
The wildfire comes less than 24 hours after Blewett Fire Department extinguished a grass fire in the 4000 Block of Blewett Road.
A resident was cleaning a burn barrel when the grass fire started.
Southeast Fire Centre urges the public to be vigilant when it comes to preventing human caused fires as the mercury continues to hover in the high 30’s C for the next few weeks.
To report a wildfire or open burning violation, call *5555 on a cellphone or 1 800 663-5555 toll-free. For the latest information on current wildfire activity, burning restrictions, road closures and air quality advisories, visit: www.bcwildfire.ca
