Oliver firefighters mop up a grass fire at a residence on Horsetail Road on Monday afternoon. The culprit: ashes from a wood stove. Lyonel Doherty photo
Grass fire season is upon us and it begs more than an ounce of caution.
That was evident on Monday afternoon when the Oliver Fire Department responded to a grass fire at a residence on Horsetail Road.
Fire Chief Dan Skaros reported that a resident threw out ashes from a wood stove, resulting in a small field catching fire between two structures. The wind pushed the fire along until bystanders were able to use water hoses to extinguish it. Firefighters followed up with high pressure equipment and made sure the blaze was totally out before calling it a day.
Skaros said if homeowners are going to throw out their ashes, they should ensure the ashes are first soaked with water or placed in a metal can.
It’s spring time and the grass is drying up fast, so don’t throw caution to the wind.
