A weather-related cause for a fire that broke out Tuesday evening at Mill Hill Regional Park has been ruled out, leaving human activity as the potential source of the two-hectare blaze.
“We don’t know if it’s accidental, we don’t know if it’s intentional,” said Langford Fire Rescue Chief Chris Aubrey. “But there was no weather event. There was no lightning.”
Aubrey said a cigarette butt or unattended campfire are possible causes for the fire, which was deemed contained on Wednesday.
“It’s likely if it was accidental, it was probably someone in the park hours earlier, and it had taken time for that south-facing slope to heat up and the wind to pick up.”
The investigation is ongoing, Aubrey said.
“I hope that we’ll be able to determine exactly what the cause is because we obviously want to prevent it from happening again in the future.”
Langford Fire Rescue continued fighting the blaze Wednesday afternoon with 30 crew members as it burned in a grassy area adjacent to the Trans-Canada Highway.
Langford crews were expected to be at the scene until 9:30 or 10 p.m. Wednesday, Aubrey said, with CRD Parks keeping watch overnight.
Aubrey said he anticipates crews will be in the area for four or five days “mopping up hot spots.”
The fire was discovered about 5 p.m. Tuesday, prompting the B.C. Wildfire Service to respond with 11 crew members, air tankers and three helicopters. Personnel from the View Royal, Colwood and Esquimalt fire departments also assisted Langford.
Aubrey said while some smoke and flames were visible Wednesday, no air tankers or helicopters had been brought in by late afternoon
He said there was some concern about winds picking up later on Wednesday.
No structures were threatened by the fire, the wildfire service said Tuesday.
With recent hot weather and more expected, Aubrey warned trail and park users to take care not to spark fires.
“We just need to make sure that our actions out in the forested areas and trails are reflective of the wildfire situation.”
