WATCH: A Metchosin couple is homeless after a fast-moving brush fire destroyed the cabin they lived in for four decades. April Lawrence reports.
Metchosin’s fire chief was back at the scene of a dangerous and fast-moving brush fire that scorched a hillside on Sooke Road Wednesday, destroying a cabin where two people lived.
“Most of the damage is in the roof area but the house is kind of destroyed by all the water damage trying to put the fire out,” Metchosin Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop said.
Several small fires broke out on the side of Sooke Road Wednesday afternoon and quickly spread.
A motorist captured the dramatic scene on camera as heavy flame and smoke tore through the dry brush.
RAW VIDEO: Jono McGee captured this video of flames and smoke while driving on Sooke Road after a brush fire broke out around 3:30 p.m. Caution: Strong Language.
Mike Travis was working at WestCoast Tire & Wheel just down the road when a motorist came in and told them she saw smoke.
They called 911 then Travis grabbed a fire extinguisher and rushed to the scene.
“As soon as I got there, there was about four different little fires going on and they were all flying straight up the hill there, so it was beyond fire extinguisher and way beyond my talents,” Travis said.
He couldn’t believe the heat, and the size of the flames.
“The worst I saw must have been 20 feet, some of the stuff was just jumping, it was going so fast,” he said.
A BC Forest Service helicopter was called in, joining five fire departments battling the flames on the ground: Metchosin, Sooke, East Sooke, Otter Point, and Langford.
Witnesses reported seeing a motor home driving down the highway with sparks shooting out behind it right before the fires broke out.
West Shore RCMP confirm they have received those reports as well as the license plate of the RV and they are investigating it.
But fire officials say at this point the cause of the fire remains undetermined
The couple renting the cabin had lived there 40 years, but didn’t have insurance.
They are currently being cared for by Emergency Social Service, but that runs out in a few days, leaving them with the difficult task of finding a new place to live.
April Lawrence
