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Firefighters battle Cowichan River wildfire into submission

Fire now ‘under control’
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The wildfire near Sahtlam is still burning out of control. (Courtesy of BC Wildfire Service)

As of Oct. 17, a wildfire south of the Cowichan River that ignited on Oct. 8 is under control, according to the Coastal Fire Centre.

Fire information officer Marg Drysdale said the 5.7-hectare fire was brought under control on Oct. 15.

“They’ve got it at a position where they don’t think it would spread,” she said Monday morning.

Firefighters are not on site, but will check back routinely (“poke around at it”) for hotspots and smoke, making sure it isn’t burning underground through roots before it is declared fully out.

The fire is located south of Sahtlam in a rural area. The blaze is not considered a threat to infrastructure or human life. The fire is suspected to be human caused, though no definitive cause has been identified.

At the height of the fire multiple fire crews, along with local volunteer firefighters and helicopters battled the blaze into submission, hitting it hard, so that it would not spread in the very dry conditions.



Andrea Rondeau

About the Author: Andrea Rondeau

I returned to B.C. and found myself at the Cowichan Valley Citizen.
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