A pair of smouldering driftwood logs were found just before sunrise Monday morning at Nanaimo's Pipers Lagoon, put our by Nanaimo fire crews and some good samaritans. (Submitted/Patricia Rose)

By Jordan Davidson

smoldering embers

Crews extinguish smouldering fires at Nanaimo’s Pipers Lagoon

Jun 25, 2024 | 5:33 AM

NANAIMO — Nanaimo Fire Rescue Service (NFR) had to completely extinguish a pair of smouldering fires at Nanaimo’s Pipers Lagoon Park.

NFR crews were called to the popular north Nanaimo park on Monday, June 24 just before 5:00 a.m. after some early-morning ocean dippers noticed smoke coming from driftwood.

Nanaimo resident Julie Boyer told NanaimoNewsNOW she has encountered smouldering beach fires a few times and put them out with her boots, but she knew this fire was beyond her abilities to snuff out.

“Because of the risk of smouldering and getting to the grass and then turning into an actual fire… and above the tideline, those logs weren’t going to extinguish themselves.”

NFR crews arrived and used shovels and collapsable buckets filled with seawater to fully extinguish the embers.

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Despite being in close proximity to the ocean, Boyer knew better than to leave it to chance or try and put it out herself.

“In this case what had happened was it seems like someone had built a fire overnight in between two of the larger pieces of driftwood. So when it gets in the log I knew that there wasn’t really anything I could do to really extinguish it on my own.”

Boyer also said there were empty beverage containers on the ground around the fire, but she found the site unoccupied when she arrived before sunrise.

A pair of fires at the beach in Pipers Lagoon had to be dealt with by NFR early Monday morning. (Submitted/Julie Boyer)

Once NFR fully doused the driftwood and left the scene, Boyer and her friends were ready to take their morning dip.

However, about half an hour after they reported the first fire, the familiar smell of smoke again wafted their way.

“We thought maybe that was just left over from when they had extinguished the other one, but it didn’t make sense that we’d still kind of smell smoke. We turn around and we saw more smoke coming from another log.”

They first used a water bottle to temper the flames, but when more was needed, they filled their pool noodles with seawater and dumped it on the wood until the fire was fully put out.

While the waterfront area of Pipers Lagoon is more rocks than sand, Boyer said rocks can hold heat for longer, increasing the chances of reigniting if not fully put out.

“People don’t realize those rocks stay hot and then if there is any fuel, eventually that will smoulder and turn into something else.”

Boyer said this is at least the fourth time she’s come across one of these left-over fires at Pipers Lagoon, along with another reported first at Neck Point Park a few years ago when conditions were drier.

Beach fires are not permitted within Nanaimo city limits at any time, and include all areas above and below the tideline.

The Coastal Fire Centre banned category two and three fires prior to the May long weekend, typical for this time of year.

According to the province, the current fire danger rating across Vancouver Island as of June 24 is mostly in the ‘low’ to ‘very-low’ category, with a few moderate and higher risk areas in higher elevations and around Victoria.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow