Grass fire north of Vernon grows to 300 feet before being snuffed

A grass fire north of Vernon grew to 300 feet in length before it was extinguished by members of the Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department Friday afternoon, March 31.

The fire broke out just north of the intersection of Old Kamloops Road and Highway 97. David Evans, who called in the fire, said the highway was closed for a brief period because “you couldn’t see through the smoke.”

Armstrong Spallumcheen deputy fire chief Ian McKechnie said the fire broke out around 1 p.m. The fire department responded with four trucks.

“There were some people on scene trying to put it out,” McKechnie said. “We actioned it, put it out and no hot spots left, it was fairly easy to extinguish.”

McKechnie said the grass fire grew to about 300 feet in length down the ditch along the road.

He said the cause of the fire is unknown at this time.