Several hikers are safe and sound after a small forest fire broke out near Lions Bay Monday evening.
People out hiking came upon a blaze at the Tunnel Bluffs trail, about 2.5 kilometres north of Lions Bay. Search and rescue had to fly two of them out by helicopter.
No one was hurt.
Although BC Wildfire crews haven鈥檛 had a chance to measure the size of the fire yet, fire information officer Donna MacPherson said it鈥檚 estimated at under one hectare.
It might have appeared bigger, she noted, because of all the smoke.
鈥淭he venting yesterday was quite shallow and smoke is heavier than air so it funnels like water down the hill,鈥� MacPherson said.
鈥淏ut we haven鈥檛 had crews to walk all around the perimetre yet.鈥�
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, MacPherson said, but noted that BC Wildfire would consider it human-caused unless it found there had been lightning strikes in the area.
MacPherson said that although there isn鈥檛 a fire ban in place yet for the Coastal Fire Centre, people need to be careful out in the backcountry as the weather heats up.
鈥淭hat area was in moderate to high fire rating and that was because it was a slope that faces the sun,鈥� she said.
鈥淲ith the heat we鈥檝e had in the last few days it doesn鈥檛 take long for the forest to heat up.鈥�
Hikers should make sure they鈥檙e familiar with the terrain they鈥檙e in.
鈥淜now your escape routes,鈥� MacPherson said.
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