SAN JUAN ISLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT

Related Stories

Thank you letter from Jan Osborn

Fire destroys shop and camper; house saved

Story by Sharon Kivisto
Photos by Sharon Kivisto and Jan Osborn

Smoke from the Sutton Road fire was visible from John Dean Park on the Saanich Peninsula, Vancouver Island. Photo courtesy of Owen Searle and Fran Bitonti

posted 08/28/2006
An ember from a campfire sparked a grassfire which destroyed a shop, shed and a camper on a Sutton Road property Sunday afternoon. Thirty firefighters from San Juan Island Fire Dept and Friday Harbor Fire Dept fought the fire for four hours. There were five fire engines and two tenders at the scene.

San Juan Island Fire Chief Bill McLauglin said the priority was saving the house and keeping the fire from spreading to nearby Hillview Terrace community.

Homeowner Jan Osborn was out of propane and was using the campfire to prepare barbeque ribs. She had a hose to the campfire but had turned away when the ember escaped. When she tried to use the hose to put out the fire, it was kinked and not enough water came out. In a phone interview Monday, she said, "Those were the most expensive ribs ever." Osborn is grateful the firefighters were able to save her home.

Osborn had recently moved into her home. The shed contained her rock shop which had stone cutting tools and sentimental collections including Harley Davidson Minatures. The shed also had all the wood working tools. The other outbuilding destroyed was a bunkhouse.

Currently, there is a burn ban in effect. On the mainland there is also a ban on campfires. McLauglin said, there may be a similar ban on campfires in the county soon, if there isn't rainfall soon. The islands have received only 1-inch of rain this summer.

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