A man was found dead after his trailer caught fire on Denman Island on Wednesday night.
Dozens of people called 911 just before 6 p.m. about a column of black smoke that could be seen from Vancouver Island.
It was initially thought to be a brush fire, but Denman Island volunteer firefighters found a residential trailer fully engulfed in flames, said Fire Chief Don Luckett.
The trailer is part of a housing co-operative called Coho Landing, a community of about 15 homes on 10 acres of forested land on Denman Road.
Luckett said he was concerned about the fire spreading to other homes and the canopy of trees.
“Just the state of things in the province right now and the fires burning in the Interior, everyone is on edge a bit,” he said.
“Our concern was not only was this a structure fire, but a fire in the trees and in the bush at the same time.”
He called the Coastal Fire Centre for help and it sent a three-man attack crew in a helicopter.
The helicopter was able to provide an overhead view that let firefighters know about hot spots, Luckett said.
There was very little wind at the time, which helped firefighters control the flames.
A body was discovered in the debris, he said.
The death has shaken neighbours in the community, which Luckett described as close-knit.
According to the housing co-operative’s website, the members are committed to “egalitarian values and ecologically sustainable lifestyles, to creating a child-friendly neighbourhood, sharing our resources and generally being open to experiments in living.”
The man’s identity and the cause of the fire are unknown.
Volunteer firefighters will be receiving counselling to deal with the trauma of the incident.
The death was reported to Comox Valley RCMP and the B.C. Coroners Service, which are investigating.
Denman Island, accessible by ferry from Buckley Bay, has about 1,000 year-round residents.
