Plumes of smoke were visible in the sky from much of Newmarket and the north end of Aurora Sunday afternoon due to a large grass fire on the Tom Taylor Trail south of Mulock Drive.
A portion of the trail — that had been busy with residents enjoying the beautiful weather — was closed when Central York Fire Services responded to a call at about 4:30 p.m. March 21 with six fire trucks and 28 firefighters, and they remained on the scene hours later.
According to the CYFS incident report, the fire was located deep off the trails and in dense brush, west of the railroad tracks, east of the Holland River, south to around Silken Laumann Drive. Due to the restricted access, fire crews had to carry in the necessary forestry firefighting equipment.
One firefighter was taken to Southlake Regional Health Centre with symptoms of heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation.
Crowds of curious onlookers gathered at the nearby Audrie Sanderson Park on McBean Avenue to watch fire crews at work, as the neighbourhood filled with smoke.
The cause of the fire is undetermined, according to CYFS.
"At this time of year, the undergrowth is extremely dry and very susceptible to catching fire. With high winds, these fires can travel quickly and threaten homes adjacent to the trails," the report states. "If you see smoke in these areas, please don’t hesitate to call 911 and get the fire service there while the fire is still small."
