Hedge goes up in flames

By Fred Davies
May 13^th, 2008

A hedge fire at a Parksville town house complex Thursday looked spectacular but was doused without injury and before damage could occur to nearby residences.

The blaze, which broke out shortly before 6 p.m. along a perimeter of the Morsion Avenue complex that faces the Travelodge hotel, attracted attention from blocks around.

Stehane Deslauriers said he first witnessed the leaping flames from Hirst Avenue.

"It was huge ... They were full on, three or four feet above the hedge. It wasn't any person burning stuff in their back yard that's for sure."

Police at the scene knocked on doors evacuating nearby residents as firefighters moved to extinguish the flames - that consumed a roughly 100 foot section of hedge.

"These cedar hedges get all dried out,"said Parksville's fire Chief Doug Banks. "There's a trail that runs along there. It could have been someone throwing a cigarette."




Original Source:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/parksville_qualicumbeachnews/news/18873329.html