Brush fire quickly doused after controlled burn flares north of Vancouver

HALFMOON BAY, B.C. – Just hours before watering restrictions were imposed in many communities across British Columbia, a controlled burn flared up on the Sunshine Coast.

Several homes near Smuggler Cove Marine Provincial Park, west of Halfmoon Bay, were evacuated as a precaution as the flames flared at around 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

The B.C. Wildfire Service says the fire charred about 2.5 hectares of bush before it was knocked down by two helicopters and a three-person attack crew.

Residents were allowed to return to their homes within hours.

Watering restrictions, aimed at conserving drinking water during the warm summer months, began in most areas of the province on Wednesday and will remain in place until late September or early October.

The wildfire service ranks the wildfire danger across most of B.C. as low to moderate, which means forest activities should be done cautiously because fuels are drying and there is an increased risk of surface fires. (CKAY)