Stanley Park fire likely caused by tossed cigarette butt, says Vancouver Fire
Posted July 9, 2019 6:16 pm.
Last Updated July 9, 2019 7:47 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – All it takes is a single cigarette butt carelessly tossed away in a vegetative area to start a fire.
This from the Vancouver Fire Department after a lit butt was found to be the likely cause of an early morning fire in Stanley Park on July 9.
Cpt. Jonathan Gormick says that Vancouver Park Board rangers discovered the fire and quickly called Vancouver Fire.
“It is pretty frustrating,” says Gormick. “Firstly, a fire that’s entirely preventable and secondly, in an area that is so vulnerable and it’s just probably been a matter of luck that we haven’t had a large incident in Stanley Park.”
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He is thankful rangers reacted so quickly as he says, this could have been a lot worse.
“This is just another reminder how dry the vegetation is right now, and it’s a bit of a reminder of how fragile Stanley Park is,” he says.
Gormick also says for anyone thinking of flicking their finished cigarettes to the ground, they could face a $500 fine.
