Chilliwack firefighters union stresses sufficient staffing after massive fire on Chilliwack Lake Rd.

CHILLIWACK — The professional association representing Chilliwack career firefighters says a fully staffed Engine 4 was critical in the battle against a residential structure on Chilliwack Lake Road last week.

In a Facebook post from Chilliwack Firefighters Local 2826 Friday morning (July 21), the firefighters association emphasized the importance of a fully staffed fire engine of four.

“Last night (Thursday, July 20), Chilliwack Firefighters responded to a residential structure fire on Chilliwack Lake Road at the edge of city limits,” Chilliwack Firefighters Local stated in its Facebook post. “E4 (Engine 4) was staffed with a crew of 3. The violent column of smoke could be seen on the backside of Promontory from Hall 4 as the engine company was leaving. The decision was made to allow a career member who had shown up early for night shift to jump on the truck as the 4th member.”

Once firefighters arrived at the scene of the Chilliwack Lake Road fire, Chilliwack Firefighters Local 2826 says several outbuildings on the property were fully engulfed, and the fire was well rooted in the mountainside as it began to travel north up the hillside towards Bridle Ridge (Crescent).