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Fire sparked in snow-covered Kal Park forest near Vernon

Hikers discovered small fire in Coldstream provincial park
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A fire was ignited in Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. (Submitted photo)

A fire was spotted in Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park Monday afternoon by some hikers.

A group of people discovered a small fire burning in the bush from one of the trails.

“The caller said it was inaccessible by road,” Coldstream Fire Department’s Fiona Morgenthaler Code said.

Due to the location and inaccessibility, the fire was turned over to forestry crews.

Hikers in the park saw a helicopter fly over the area.

“It was weird. There was smoke and a fire burning further into the woods,” said Dean Gordon-Smith, who was out for a walk with his dog Hugo shortly before 4 p.m. when he came across groups of people looking into the woods. “The smoke was spreading out a bit. Not much though.”

Simone Runyan said she could smell smoke as early as Dec. 29 and figured someone was camping illegally. She and some others worked with a B.C. Parks ranger on the fire which was “burning a very thick layer of needles and bark around a huge old tree,” she said in the Friends of Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park Society Facebook page.

“It seems that an illegal campfire was not put out and started burning the duff. It’s going to be difficult to put out entirely,” added Runyan.

The Coldstream Fire Department was on standby and offered assistance if forestry crews needed it.

It was the second time in a week that a fire was discovered in the park, according to the Friends of Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park group.

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Jennifer Smith

About the Author: Jennifer Smith

Vernon has always been my home, and I've been working at The Morning Star since 2004.
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