Quantcast
Brush blaze shuts highway – Metro US

Brush blaze shuts highway

A wild brush fire temporarily shut down Highway 1 in Langley Saturday night as the province continues to struggle with of one of the driest summers on record.

The blaze closed down the freeway in both directions between 248th and 264th streets, forcing motorists to find alternate routes.

Langley RCMP said the fire started shortly before 6 p.m. and was put out about an hour later. Fire crews continued to monitor the area.

The cause of the fire is unknown, though there are reports that a cigarette butt or spark from a car may be to blame.

The hot and dry conditions are expected to continue throughout the coming week, particularly in the Southern and Central Interior regions where temperatures were expected in the mid to high 30s.

To assist with firefighting efforts, 15 crews of 20 people each arrived from Manitoba, Alberta and Ontario yesterday.