A man and a woman from Prince George are breathing a sigh of relief after a vehicle fire in the Okanagan.
According to the West Kelowna RCMP, the incident happened just after 4pm on Sunday where the full-size pick-up truck they were driving with an attached horse trailer burst into flames.
Police found out about the traffic hazard after the couple had pulled to the edge of Highway 97 C.
Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey says a situation like this isn’t that uncommon based on how dry it is every summer.
“I certainly would say that we don’t often get calls of horse trailers catching fire next to towing vehicles but it’s not uncommon for vehicles travelling on our area highways to suddenly catch fire and pull over to the side of the road.”
“These often happen when the vehicle is outside the fire protection zone and the local fire departments aren’t in a position to respond to those fires so the RCMP will typically attend the scene, check with the vehicle occupants along with emergency services.”
With the Okanagan experiencing hot and dry summers, which often lead to a high fire danger rating.
O’Donaghey wouldn’t be surprised if the current conditions played a role in the blaze.
“I would imagine that the current conditions that we are experiencing and the heat we had on the weekend likely played a role in either fire starting or least spreading throughout the vehicle as quickly as it did.”
The vehicle was travelling westbound away from the West Kelowna area near Penask Summit.
The truck and horse trailer were towed away from the road once it was cool and safe to do so.
None of the occupants of the truck sustained injuries.