Woman injured blaze at Smokey Bear Campground
A fire at the Smokey Bear Campground west of Revelstoke has injured a woman and also destroyed four structures that were homes to five people.
Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services got the call just before 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 30. The campground is located about five kilometres west of Revelstoke on Highway 1. It is known for the giant 'Smokey Bear' statue located out front.
Fire Chief Rob Girard said when crews arrived, they found a building, camper, trailer and a fifth-wheel all "fully involved."
“The fire was isolated to these structures and crews did a great job in actioning the fire, considering the campground is in our protection area, but a long distance away from the nearest water supply,"
Girard said crews were concerned by a number of propane bottles that were located near the blaze. They were used for cooking at the residences.
One woman was injured in the fire, receiving burns to her hands and forehead and also suffering from smoke inhalation. She received treatment at Queen Victoria Hospital.
A total of 22 firefighters responded, extinguishing the blaze in about half an hour. All four structures were destroyed.
Five people were made homeless by the blaze. Girard thanked Emergency Social Services staff for their help assisting them with temporary shelter. “I cannot stress enough how appreciative we are to have ESS volunteers available within our community to come to the aid of individuals in these types of circumstances," Girard said in a statement.
The fire was in Revelstoke's fire protection area, but outside of the city. As a result, the fire department doesn't have the legal authority to investigate. Girard said he couldn't offer a cause for the fire, but in a statement Girard said he, "wanted to remind all residents to exercise extreme safety in the use of smokers' material and to extinguish all campfires when they are not attended."
A Facebook page has been set up to help some of the victims of the incident with donations from the public. Visit the Help Sarren and Amanda page here.
Saturday morning a busy one for fire crews
Fire crews were also dispatched to two other incidents that morning.
Just after 6 a.m. they attended to an incident near the Revelstoke A&W. A vehicle struck a lamp pole, energizing the pole with electricity.
Later that morning at about 8:30 a.m., crews were dispatched to a chimney fire in the 200 block of 9th Street East.