Busy weekend for Chilliwack firefighters amid fires at Winners, an encampment and in Ryder Lake

Chilliwack Assistant Fire Chief Krista Minar told Fraser Valley Today in an email Monday morning that fire crews responded at about 8:45 p.m. Sunday night for reports of a possible structure fire at Winners. On arrival, it was confirmed that an extinguisher had been activated prior to arrival, effectively extinguishing the fire. Minor smoke and fire damage were reported. No injuries were reported, Minar said. The fire remains under investigation by the Chilliwack RCMP. Anyone with information about the cause of the fire is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Firefighters were called at around noon Saturday (Feb. 8) to an encampment near the Vedder Bridge after a tent caught fire. A woman was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, but was alert and responsive before she was left in care of B.C. Ambulance Service.

Image: Contributed / The scene of Saturday’s tent fire at a homeless encampment near the Vedder Bridge.

The encampment where the tent fire occurred is littered with propane tanks, which present an obvious fire hazard.

Chilliwack cleanup volunteer Ross Aikenhead says the encampment falls under provincial jurisdiction. The last cleanup at this specific encampment specifically coordinated by a government agency was nearly a decade ago in 2016. Since then, volunteers have cleaned it up at least three times. During the last clean-up in which Aikenhead was involved, 37 propane tanks weighing 20 pounds each were removed from the site.

“It was just as bad when we cleaned it up,” Aikenhead said. “Nothing is enforced so it just continues.”

Due to the proximity of the encampments, nearby residents are growing uneasy about the number of fires in the area.

“A few members are upset with the fires,” said Soowahlie member Naomi Trimm told Fraser Valley Today over the weekend. “[They] are scared that one night, it may come towards the community.”

Trimm says the fires could spread from the wind gusts. With only one entry into Cultus Lake, some residents are concerned about safely evacuating the area in an emergency.

A community member told Fraser Valley Today, “I work nights and I’ve had to make so many calls [about] people setting trees on fire […], during fire season, I’ve called in a fire right above that homeless camp with houses above.”

The member, who wishes to stay anonymous, added that they were worried about those with addictions sleeping in the tents.

Firefighters were called Sunday afternoon at about 12:25 p.m. to a report of two vehicles on fire up in Ryder Lake. Fire crews were able to knock down the vehicle fires despite slippery, icy conditions on a driveway leading to where the fires occurred.

Image: Kelina Dawn, used with permission / Two vehicles caught fire Sunday in Ryder Lake.

The car fires occurred on Payne Road. There were no reported injuries, according to a Facebook commenter.

Firefighters struggled with icy conditions on a long driveway leading to the location of the fire, prompting them to request gravel chips from City of Chilliwack public works crews.

Image: Danae Broekhuis, used with permission / Another angle of Sunday’s fire up in Ryder Lake Sunday afternoon.

Later on Sunday afternoon, a motorhome burned along Chilliwack Lake Road near Slesse Creek. Chilliwack River Valley Fire Department crews were called to this fire. Yellow caution tape has been strung around the torched motorhome. It’s not immediately known what caused the fire.

From Sunday night to early Monday morning, Chilliwack firefighters were called to three campfires in various parts of the city, according to Chilliwack resident Julie Hiscock, who monitors overnight scanner traffic.

by Mike Vanden Bosch and Alyssa Conti

Busy weekend for Chilliwack firefighters amid fires at Winners, an encampment and in Ryder Lake

This Week in Flyers

This Week in Flyers

More Local News