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MERRITT HERALD FREE
THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2012 • MERRITT NEWSPAPERS
Don’t get into cars with strangers, warn Merritt police Man asks for directions, invites women into vehicle By Jade Swartzberg THE HERALD
newsroom@merrittherald.com
A helicopter works to extinguish an eight-hectare fire near the Coquihalla Highway summit on Tuesday. The blaze was sparked from the rubble of a twoweek-old lighting strike. Nicola Fire Base crews continued to attack the flames with help from a Princeton crew on Wednesday. Phillip Woolgar/Herald
Lightning sparks fire near summit Merritt area fire danger rating currently listed at extreme By Phillip Woolgar THE HERALD
reporter@merrittherald.com
A fire was ignited from the dormant rubble of a two-week-old lightning strike on Monday, approximately five kilometres west of the Coquihalla Highway summit between Merritt and Vancouver. The nearly eight-hectare fire was almost fully contained as of press time Wednesday, when a helicopter and ground crew of 10 from the Nicola Fire Base attacked the flames and smouldering wood. “It’s from a holdover fire and it is visible from the Coquihalla Highway,� said Kayla Pepper, fire information officer for the Kamloops Fire Zone, just prior to flying out of the Merritt Airport on a helicopter to inspect the blaze. “It’s not too aggressive yet, so we are hoping the
M E R R I T T
winds co-operate today.� By the time the chopper reached the blaze, it was nearly extinguished, as another helicopter scooped water from a small nearby lake to make regular drops on the flames throughout the day. The fire burned on a steep slope near the mountain peak, which means it had the potential to spread quite viciously due to the upward movement of the heat. On Monday, when the fire broke out, the air tankers dropped retardant along the perimeter, which helped to contain any spread and make Tuesday’s job easier. “Today, because the fire behavior cooled down, they were able to be more successful,� Pepper said. “There are two helicopters that will be fighting that fire tomorrow [Wednesday].�
Ph: 250-378-6181 1988 Quilchena Ave.
See Six active fires burn Page 8
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Both the Nicola Base and a crew from Princeton were called to attend the fire Wednesday. Forty firefighters were on the ground Wednesday, and by that time only a small area of open flames still burned. The only access to the fire was through the air, and a rappel crew was called in from Salmon Arm to establish a landing area for firefighters to access the blaze. The three-person crew accesses the remote area from a rope and then clears out trees and builds a helipad. “It was that steep and remote that we had to do that first,� Pepper said. As a pilot for Valley Helicopters, Jesse Pierce takes to the sky when an area fire sparks.
Merritt RCMP officers are warning residents of a male driving a green midsized car who has asked young women for directions and then asked them to get into his vehicle. “So far we’re aware of four instances and it appears to be the same person,� said RCMP Const. Ryan Dell. RCMP received the first report in June, though the most recent report was on Monday. So far, none of the young women have agreed to get into the vehicle with him. “We’re obviously concerned because it is unusual behaviour for someone to be asking women to get into a car,� said Dell. “It could lead to a harmful situation which is the reason for the media release.
“We don’t want someone getting into the car with this person.� Dell said the instances have not taken place in a specific area of town; however, police are hoping more people will choose to report similar instances (if there are any) so police can see if there is a pattern. “Police are asking the public to report all recent or past incidents where similar circumstances have taken place,� he said. At this time police were unable to comment on suspicions on whether the suspect is local or not. “Police are also reminding the public, regardless of the circumstances, not to get into a vehicle with a stranger,� said Dell. “Be mindful of your personal safety, obtain as much information as possible, including descriptions and license plate numbers. “Make a report to the police as soon as possible.� Anyone with information is asked to contact the Merritt RCMP at 250-3784262.
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