The user of this propane torch unit nearly caused a significant fire in Qualicum Beach's Chartwell subdivision on Saturday, June 24. (Qualicum Beach Fire Rescue)

By Ian Holmes

fire smart

Disaster averted following latest weed-fighting torch fire in Qualicum Beach

Jun 27, 2023 | 5:20 AM

QUALICUM BEACH — A number of garden enthusiasts in the Qualicum Beach area are taking severe risks while ridding unwanted vegetation from their properties.

On Saturday, June 24 Qualicum Beach Fire Rescue crews responded to a cedar hedge fire caused by a propane torch used to blast away weeds in the yard of a home in the Chartwell subdivision.

Friso McKenzie, deputy chief of Qualicum Fire Rescue, said a homeowner thought he was far enough away from the hedge while applying the torch to the lawn.

“I think it was only due to some quick-thinking neighbours and hose lines that were able to slow it down enough that it didn’t catch the nearby houses.”

McKenzie noted the fire was nearly extinguished by the time they arrived on scene.

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“One garden hose too few and it would have been a completely different story,” he said.

Thick, dark smoke billowed into the air, widely visible in the Qualicum Beach area as a result.

Cedar hedges in particular can be extreme fire hazards, McKenzie emphasized.

He said flames in the vicinity of a cedar hedge can quickly erupt into an out-of-control situation.

“Even when they’re green and watered regularly the oils in them are highly flammable and any flame nearly them and they torch right up, surprisingly quickly.”

McKenzie pointed out the recent landscaping mishap was far from an isolated incident.

He said of the multiple weed-fighting torch fires in Qualicum Beach this year, all posed threats to homes, or nearby property like vehicles and boats.

“This is a fairly common occurrence using propane torches to burn weeds, this is probably the fourth or fifth incident this year and that’s not uncommon, we usually get several a year,” McKenzie told NanaimoNewsNOW.

McKenzie believes a local pesticide ban in Qualicum Beach is one reason why fire is regularly used to combat undesirable vegetation.

Fires caused by open flames applied to weeds are reported annually throughout the mid-Vancouver Island area.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes