The Trans-Canada Highway was closed at the foot of Mount Boysee south of Chase for about half an hour Tuesday, July 10, while fire crews cleared brush. The clearing was in response to a lightning-caused fire Monday, July 9.
Chase Fire Chief Brent Chamberlain saw lightning strike a tree on the side of Mount Boysee around 6 p.m. Monday, which then burst into flames.
“The terrain is too steep for firefighting on the ground. It was raining and windy, so I kept an eye on the site, while in contact with dispatch from the Kamloops Fire District. KFD and the Salmon Arm Forest District oversee this particular location,” said Chamberlain.
Chamberlain said there was another call to the Chase Fire Hall which came in simultaneously from the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church across the highway from the base of Mount Boysee.
It turned out to be false, but one Chase crew was sent to respond, diverting volunteer firefighting resources.
“The flames seemed to be out at one point last night, but then around midnight I noticed smoke, so I called the KFD dispatch once again,” Chamberlain said. “By 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, there was a crew up the hill, and shortly after a helicopter began dropping water on the smolder.”