The BC Wildfire Service says a fire that ignited south of Whistler on Sunday, Sept. 3 is under control.
The 0.1-hectare blaze started after a vehicle travelling north on Highway 99 veered off the road and hit a tree, erupting in flames that quickly spread to the forest nearby, according to Whistler RCMP.
"As we came around the bend, we saw a car up the embankment on fire against the trees," recalled Whistler's Dominic Wrapson, who happened on the scene on his way from Vancouver.
"The car was gutted already. It was just a shell basically. And maybe five trees around it were fully ablaze. The flames were pretty high."
The vehicle's two occupants were able to get to safety before the fire started. They were later taken to the Whistler Health Care Centre with minor injuries, police said.
Wildfire information officer Nicole Gagnon said members from the Garibaldi Volunteer Fire Department were on the scene along with BC Wildfire Service firefighters that were called in to assist. The Whistler RCMP, in a release, said that crews from Whistler also lent support.
"As of 5:20 p.m., we had just the one (BC Wildfire) crew member onsite, and they’re calling the fire under control," Gagnon noted.
After the accident shut down a section of Highway 99 for a couple hours, the latest update from DriveBC says the highway has reopened one lane in either direction. The road may close again on short notice as crews remain on the scene. Expect delays.
Head to www.drivebc.com for updates on road conditions.
