Saanich Fire isn't ruling out a discarded cigarette butt as being the cause of a brush fire that briefly shut down a major traffic route Tuesday afternoon.
The brush fire ignited in an area along Blanshard Street near Cloverdale Avenue where flames erupted on the southbound side of a grassy median separating Blanshard.
Saanich Fire Captain Rob Jones says despite recent weather, conditions are very dry.
"We had a cold--a little bit of wet weather lately. It gives people a false sense of security. It's still very dry and we had a dry, early start to Spring and all last summer was dry as well and we're seeing the remnants of that now. So from now on, I think people always be careful."
Jones says the fire was quickly extinguished and portions of Blanshard Street reopened shortly after.