A fire at a homeless camp Monday night could have been much worse, had it not been for the quick response from the Dawson Creek Fire Department.
The fire broke out just before 5pm in a heavily wooded area near 114th Avenue and 4th Street.
The blaze quickly spread from the encampment into nearby grass and then into the canopy of the surrounding forest.
Crews with the Dawson Creek Fire Department knocked down the blaze in less than 15 minutes. A nearby homeowner told CJDC TV News, ‘if it wasn’t for the quick response from the fire department, my girlfriend and I had a bag packed and were ready to leave.”
The fire destroyed the camp, along with a large number of personal belongings that were left behind.
Captain Mike van Laerhoven, the Fire Prevention Officer with the Dawson Creek Fire Department said there is so far no word on a cause but the fire is under investigation.