Two fires in Stanley Park caused by cigarette butts: fire officials
Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services now says a pair of grass fires in Stanley Park over the long weekend were human-caused.
The first fire happened Monday afternoon, on Cathedral Trail, deep in the forest.
Crews arrived with the help of park rangers to find a two-by-two-metre area around a stump that was smouldering.
While they were on scene, they were flagged down by a passerby, alerting them to a second fire in a grassy area near Second Beach.
A witness told CTV News there was also a third fire, near the totem poles, though firefighters didn’t have a record of that blaze.
The on-duty chief told CTV News Tuesday morning that both confirmed fires were accidentally caused by a discarded cigarette butt.
Firefighters are now renewing their warnings about tinder-dry conditions in the park.
“Everybody needs to be our ears and eyes,” says Karen Fry, Chief of Vancouver Fire Rescue Services.
“If you see someone smoking in a park, gently remind them. Maybe they’re visitors to our city and they don’t know. Gently remind them there’s no smoking in our parks.”
Since June, crews have been called to 23 fires in Stanley Park. On Friday, the Vancouver Park Board took the unprecedented step of shutting down the park during overnight hours due to the extreme fire risk.
“The current conditions in Stanley Park are extreme right now and given the size of the park, the risk of a fire breaking out overnight when fewer people may notice it or report it presents a significant threat to the wellbeing of the park,” said Amit Gandha, director of park operations, in a release.
The park will be shut down between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. indefinitely, until the fire risk has been significantly reduced.
With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Nafeesa Karim
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.