District of Hope firefighters were out in force starting with a call out to the Hope Valley Campground for an RV fire at midnight on Monday, August 17. Initial reports had several recreational vehicles and trees on fire in the campground.

"Upon arrival our crews discovered a 25 foot fifth-wheel trailer fully engulfed in fire extending to some nearby trees," reports Hope fire chief, Tom DeSorcy.

The fire was quickly brought under control and patrols of the campground located no other fire starts due to the embers.

The recreation vehicle was unoccupied at the time of the fire.

"The cause of the fire is being linked to the battery box and the fact that it had possibly overheated while under an electrical charge,” says DeSorcy.

At approximately 4 p.m. the same afternoon firefighters were again called out to a grass fire on School Road in Silver Creek.

"Residents in a nearby mobile home smelled smoke and upon investigation saw that their back yard was burning up. They managed to control the fire with a garden hose until firefighters arrived to soak the 30 by 40 foot area down," adds DeSorcy.

"While we were able to locate the point where the fire started, but we were unable to determine exactly how it started – likely set accidentally by a dropped cigarette."

On Tuesday the Hope fire department assisted the Ministry of Forest firefighters up the Coquihalla Highway by extinguishing a vehicle fire that threatened the wild lands.

By early evening the same day Hope firefighters were called out to a fire in a townhouse at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Kawkawa Lake Road.

"The fire originated in the kitchen on the stove top and was quickly brought under controlled by our first arriving crew. "

Damage was contained to the kitchen of the one unit. Other units in the building were evacuated as a precaution and residents were permitted to re-enter about 40 minutes later.

Residents and visitors to the area "are reminded to be diligent with fire safety year round and ensure they have working smoke alarms in their homes and recreational vehicles. Also a reminder that our campfire ban remains in effect in all areas in and around the District of Hope."