A pickup truck that burned in the Rock Creek area sparked a grass fire Wednesday evening but both were quickly put out.
Midway Fire and Rescue chief Mike Daloise said they responded just after 9:30 p.m. to the fire about seven kilometers up Nicholson Creek Road.
A pickup truck pulling a new tiny house appears to have had a mechanical failure that caused a fire to start under the hood, he said.
The fire continued to spread through the truck and into the cargo area which contained a tank of diesel fuel.
When crews arrived, the fire had started to spread to the surrounding area but they were able to extinguish the slow moving grass fire as well as the vehicle itself.
Daloise said the tiny home received relatively minor fire damage because it had Hardie plank siding.
“Quick action by people in the area contributed to keeping the fire from spreading too far into the bush,” he said, estimating it went 25 to 30 feet into the forest, igniting a tree.
Midway RCMP and BC Wildfire also attended the scene and investigating. BC Wildfire will returned to the scene this morning to confirm the fire is completely out.
The truck was moving when the fire was discovered, but no one was injured. The driver “noticed smoke coming from the vehicle while driving and pulled over to try and extinguish it, but was unsuccessful,” Daloise said.
He added they were helped because it happened in the evening when things were cooler and there was no wind. Firefighters were on the scene for about three hours.
“Midway Fire and Rescue reminds everyone the conditions are getting very dry,” Daloise said. “Fire danger ratings in the area range from moderate to extreme. Please be extra careful with any potential sources of ignition.”
