Fire breaks out in Jordan River area near Revelstoke

A fire has broken out Monday afternoon in the Jordan River area near Revelstoke.

The popular hiking, biking and kayaking area is located about 10 kilometres from downtown Revelstoke.

Smoke is starting to waft into tow from a fire in the bush to the northwest of Revelstoke. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

The Mountaineer has contacted media information officers from the Southeast Fire Centre. Nobody was immediately available to answer our calls.

Later on in the evening, the BC Wildfire Service responded to an information request via social media:

@RevelstokeMTNR Small spot size #BCwildfire (< 0.01 ha in size) burning 3km up Jordan Forest Service Road. 3 firefighters on site.

— BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) May 30, 2017

A dispatcher with Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services said the fire was caused by a slash burning operation that got out of hand. She said that forestry officials had been called in to respond to the fire. The fire is located off of a forest service road in the Jordan River area. It’s unclear how large the fire is at this point.

In a call to the Mountaineer on Tuesday morning, Erin Catherall, fire information officer with the Provincial Wildfire Coordination Centre said three firefighters remained on scene at the gravel pit working on the fire.

Catherall said she didn’t know what caused the fire — whether it had been a slash pile set on fire on purpose or not, adding that it was still “under investigation.”

This aerial shot of the fire. Photo: Chris Hrabb

White smoke can be seen wafting from the area located off Westside Road.

A fairly brisk wind has kicked up this afternoon in Revelstoke.

Another aerial shot of the fire, which appears to be in a gravel pit operation in the Jordan River area. Photo: Chris Hrabb