Kamloops Fire and Rescue says a grass fire that began in a gully near Thompson Rivers University this past Saturday was sparked by a homeless person’s campfire.

Life Safety Educator, Jeff Pont, says they were able to make that determination after a short investigation.

“The best we can do is offer education and explain the rules and the dangers that can be caused by campfires in this city,” he told NL News.

“Often when these fires happen with the homeless population, they’re receptive and we’re able to have a conversation with them and educate them. That is the best we can do from our standpoint.”

Pont says it is illegal to have open fires within Kamloops city limits, as it can still be dangerous even when temperatures as cool as it is.

“We definitely have the capacity to hand out fines. Our standpoint, like I said, is to first educate and hope people learn from mistakes and make better choices in the future,” he added.

Pont says many of these people are just trying to keep warm, but he notes firefighters want to make sure they’re aware of the dangers of open fires, especially when conditions are dry.

Smoke from the fire, which began in a gully between the TRU campus and Summit Drive, was widely seen from across the city.

“Our response from KFR is like any fire, where we dispatch the appropriate engines,” Pont noted. “In this case, Engine 1 from Sahali was there very quickly and it was able to extinguish the fire before it got too large.”

I’m sure you all noticed the plume of smoke next to Summit recently. It’s a reminder that Kamloops is dry, even this time of year.
Ask us one question about how to keep your home Fire Smart, and I’ll put together a prize for one random winner, full of all sorts of kids stuff. pic.twitter.com/muMkcQcPSh

— Kamloops Fire Rescue (@KamFire) April 21, 2022