Is the fire on the backside of the chief still burning?

[squamish climber]

The Squamish Chief paper had a story yesterday about a fire on the backside the Chief near the park.

July 8,2010

Sylvie Paillard
spaillard@squamishchief.com

Water bombers buzzed and smoke plumed over the backside of the Stawamus Chief Wednesday and Thursday (July 7 and 8 ) as crews battled a blaze in sweltering heat.

The fire was first reported at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, and firefighters discovered the blaze in a logging operation’s slash area behind the provincial park, according to Coastal Fire Centre information officer Tim Neal.

“There were some piles back there that were on fire,” he said.

By Thursday, a five-man crew was attacking the scene, which still showed open flame and smoke.

“It’ll take a while because the piles are pretty hard to put out,” said Neal.

Neal said logging activity hadn’t been occurring there “for a while,” there hadn’t been lightning strikes in the area, and he was unsure whether the site was easily accessible, so the cause of the fire was still undetermined.

“It happens when you see people start their forest activities.”

Be careful out there and if you smoke, don't toss your butts.

[Brendan]

Given the apparent access to the are in question, I doubt it was a smoker who caused the fire.

My money is on a 7.62x39mm tracer round which was most likely fired from a CZ 858 by someone walking on one of the FSR's back there. They have caused many a fire in the local bush (thankfully all the fires were stomped out in time).

[Brendan]

My mistake,
Reading over it again I see that they are "unsure" whether or not it was difficult to access.
In that case it could definitely have been a smoker, but if it was a tough cutblock to access then I still think it could have been a tracer round.

[staven]

Apparently it was in a large slash pile from a heli-logging operation that had not been active for a while. It is good 4x4 access to the site. Arson definitely comes to mind, someone has been lighting slash piles on fire in the Squamish Valley and Mashiter Watershed as well this year.

[Brendan]

^^
Fires caused by errant people are one thing, but why would someone find the urge light a slash pile?

[Aaron]

^^
Fires caused by errant people are one thing, but why would someone find the urge light a slash pile?

Slash piles have the nasty habit of smouldering for months. Then lighting up again after a spell of hot weather. You wayward lighter could have lit that pile last December for all we know.

[Dru]

^^
Fires caused by errant people are one thing, but why would someone find the urge light a slash pile?

Slash piles have the nasty habit of smouldering for months. Then lighting up again after a spell of hot weather. You wayward lighter could have lit that pile last December for all we know.

jeezus f**k don't you know how wet it was in march through june?
here's a hint it set records

[Mr.Sleazy]

My guess is the fire was up on the Stawamus/Indian road at about 3 km above the Shannon turnoff. Thats where the heli logging was decking their logs, and there are slash piles up there now covered with the red/orange fire retardant stuff. Some of the larger live trees have been charred too.

Well outside the park. Lucky it didn't get out of hand.