VICTORIA -- The Victoria Fire Department responded to a small fire on Saturday that broke out at the temporary shelter in Topaz Park.
The Department says they arrived on scene in the early morning hours, after getting reports that one of the tents had caught fire. Upon their arrival the fire was brought under control in a short time, and no injuries were reported. Victoria Fire Batallion Chief Doug Carey says that according to the tent's occupant, the blaze was sparked by candles that had been knocked over.
"There was in fact a tent that had caught on fire, and the occupant of the tent reported that he had knocked over some candles."
The Topaz Park temporary shelter was opened as part of the City of Victoria's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and as of this past week over one hundred tents were set up in the field next to Topaz Avenue. Some residents say that the despite instruction to keep all tents on the field, many of the tents have begun propping up around the park's protected Garry Oaks.
Batallion Chief Carey says that despite the fire breaking out near the trees, his department's only concern is for protecting human life.
"Our number one concern is life safety -- we care about the people first. Property conservation is a lower priority for us." said the Batallion Chief. "You'll have to talk to Parks about how they plan to remediate after the fact."
There were originally plans for three temporary outdoor shelters, though Beacon Hill Park and Royal Athletic Park were eventually determined to be unsuitable. The city's plan continues to be to move everyone from outdoor shelter spaces to indoor facilities, though at this time it's not known how long the process will take. Batallion Chief Carey says that patrols are now being stepped up to ensure the safety of those occupying Topaz Park.