Round Lake bush fire 0
ANTHONY DIXON
KILLALOE-HAGARTY-RICHARDS - A brush fire Monday night consumed several hectares of forest near the western shore of Round Lake.
Although the flames, fanned by 50-plus km/h winds, could have spread to a nearby residential area, quick work by the Killaloe-Hagarty-Richards Fire Department, brought the fire under control.
Around 8 p.m., reports of the fire came in to the fire department.
According to Fire Chief Bob Gareau, the fire occurred on forested, private property, situated between Sheryl Boyle Park and Bonnechere Provincial Park.
A resident on the south-east shore, about seven kilometres away, said the flames were clearly visible, soaring above the tree line.
Chief Gareau said that between 16 and 17 firefighters battled the blaze and other than the loss of timber in a roughly 3.4 hectare area, no homes or the provincial park land were damaged.
By 1:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, the fire was under control.
According to Chief Gareau, some firefighters stayed on scene throughout the night, cleaning up and spraying down hot spots to ensure the strong winds did not fan the flames back into an inferno.
He said the ground in the area was a mossy and he was therefore concerned about how far down into that base the fire had penetrated. Therefore, it was important for his crews to thoroughly dowse the area with water and keep an eye on things throughout the night and Tuesday.
Chief Gareau said the fire was obviously started when a tree fell onto the electrical line and snapped it.
"It was down and the line was still sparking," he said.
Anthony Dixon is the news editor of The Daily Observer
Pembroke