It seems the Cowichan Valley burst into flames in an instant on Monday afternoon.
A brush fire at Duncan Meadows Golf course prompted a full scale response from North Cowichan's South End fire hall with mutual aid from crews from Duncan, Crofton, Maple Bay, and Sahtlam as well.
Firefighters were well into it on multiple fronts at 3 p.m. By 3:30 the B.C. Forest Service had confirmed it was sending a helicopter and crew of three to aid in suppression.
Highway 18 was closed because smoke was thick and the fire was on both sides.
Meanwhile, Crofton crews were also tasked with extinguishing another bushfire near Osborne Bay Road and Escarpment Way.
While half the Valley's firefighters were working on the Duncan Meadows blaze, Maple Bay and Chemainus crews were called out to help with the Osborne Bay Road fire, which was initially described as a "25 by 30 fire and moving fast".
By 4 p.m. Cowichan Bay firefighters were rolling to Duncan Meadows to help.