Island on Quesnel River lit up by “short-lived encampment fire”

A near-wildland fire ignited on an eyot island in the Quesnel River on Sunday, August 31.

The call for a wildland fire came in at around 9:30 on the night of August 31. The fire was located on the island down a bank to the river across from the CN Railyard.

It turns out, the cause of the fire was an encampment located in the trees.

The Quesnel Fire Department said the fire was “short-lived” and “easily contained”. The fire did not spread and remained relatively small.

Although the flames were seen from the Johnston Bridge Loop and the hill on Plywood Road, the Fire Department says the flames were primarily from the synthetics of the encampment tents.

The fire was extinguished with one fire truck and a single handline hose.