Cause undetermined at Canadian mill blaze

Afire that broke out on July 12 at Tolko, the British Columbia producer of plywood and lumber, did not damage the company’s sawmill, plywood, or cogeneration facilities, Tolko said in a prepared statement. Early assessment indicates that the fire destroyed one bulldozer and a portion of the log inventory.

No cause has yet been determined for the blaze, which erupted in the mill's wood chip supply and spread to the log yard, according to a newspaper report. It produced such heavy smoke that police evacuated nearby homes and shut down a major highway through the community. No injuries were reported, but a water-dropping aircraft were needed to help control the fire, which was fanned by high winds.