UPDATED: Crews get a handle on grass fire on Highway 33 in Kelowna

KELOWNA – Fire crews remain on the scene of a grass fire just off of Highway 33 in the Black Mountain area that may have been started by a discarded cigarette.

The 1.5 hectare fire, near Gallagher Road, was sparked at about 1:30 p.m. this afternoon, Aug. 22, with B.C. Wildfire crews assisting Kelowna firefighters.

Kelowna deputy fire chief Lou Wilde says crews are working to dig a guard around the grass fire and wetting down the area.

"There are no heavy fuels on the ground that would get it going again," Wilde says.

At one point, about 25 firefighters were working the blaze this afternoon. No structures were threatened.

He says crews will continue to monitor the fire until late this evening. 

Although the cause of the fire is unknown at this time, Wilde speculates it was a discarded cigarette. 

"People should not be discarding cigarettes, even if they appear to be out," he says. 

Kelowna RCMP are investigating the cause of the fire. 

Fire near Highway 33 in #Kelowna @CastanetNews pic.twitter.com/ZWzGeMm0j8

— Jonathan Hall (@jmhll) August 22, 2017

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— This story was updated at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017 to add information from the Kelowna Fire Department. 

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