A carelessly discarded cigarette could be the culprit behind a recent Coldstream fire.
Firefighters were called out at approximately 9 a.m. Sunday to Fitzmaurice Drive.
“There was a shrub on fire at the rear of the house that was extending into the soffit and siding of the house,” said Coldstream Fire Chief David Sturgeon.
Renters in the home tried to battle the blaze themselves with a hose and fire extinguisher, which helped before firefighters arrived.
But even so, flames almost 30 feet tall caused damage to the siding and back deck of the home.
“It was up right at the roof line,” reports Sturgeon.
Although a cause cannot be confirmed, Sturgeon said it looks to be from a carelessly discarded cigarette.
This is the fourth brush fire Coldstream crews have tackled so far this year therefore residents are reminded that even though it looks green, things are drying up quickly.
“There may be some fire bans with the intense heat over the past week,” said Sturgeon, who urges residents to check the BC Wildfire Service for bans prior to the long weekend.
While open burning is currently prohibited in the area, campfires are not banned, but that could change.