Kamloops firefighters say the fast-moving fire that destroyed part of an Upper Sahali house yesterday afternoon started outside the home and spread to the structure.

Fire Chief Ken Uzeloc says it is why Kamloops Fire and Rescue is treating this blaze at 318 Gleneagles Drive – which started on the side of a nearby walking path and made its way into cedars on the property – as suspicious at this time.

“We have determined the origin, but we still don’t have a definitive cause yet to know if it was started by people or whether it was intentional or accidental, if it was started by people, so that hasn’t been determined yet,” he said.

“When we don’t have a clear cause on something, especially on external fires like that where there is nothing that would be contribute to the ignition of the combustible materials, then yeah, we treat those as suspicious until we determine otherwise.”

Both the BC Wildfire Service and the RCMP are also working to determine how this fire was sparked.

No one was injured, though Uzeloc notes two cats were rescued and one dog remains unaccounted for.

This is the second time in just over a week were firefighters had to act fast in a heavily-populated area of Kamloops. Crews were called to a suspicious fire in Strathcona Park last Wednesday, April 19, that threatened several homes in the West End.

Kamloops Mounties are still investigating that blaze, which they say was sparked by a campfire.