For at least 128 years, a mysterious shipwreck has sat on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island in Ucluelet, BC, about 170 kilometers northwest of Victoria.
And now the officials are investigating another mystery: who or what is responsible for a recent fire that burned the attraction of long data?
“Many people in the city are really upset because a part of our history has been destroyed,” said Ucluelet Fire Chief Rick Geddes, who was out of the city when the fire occurred.
The deputy director of Firefighters, Markus Mcrurie, told Chek News Crews, responded on Tuesday morning at 5 in the morning, to which it was originally reported as a brush fire, when they found the milestone on fire.
He took about an hour to get it out, he said. RCMP has said they are not investigating.
Safe part of the ‘Pacific Cemetery’
Ucluelet is in a part of the northwest of the Pacific known as the “Pacific cemetery”, a region that extends approximately from the Oregon coast in the United States to the north to the west coast of the island of Vancouver.
According to the Oregon state parks, approximately 2,000 vessels have sunk in the area since 1792 due to the treacherous terrain and the difficult navigation obstacles, although only a handful are still visible.
According to an informative plate on the shipwreck site, the “Big Beach Mystery Shipwnk” was already reported in 1896.
Although its exact origins are lost over time, the plaque placed by the Clayoquot Biosphere and Ucluelet Wild Pacific Trail Society Biosphere Society says that the researchers estimate that the ship was built somewhere in the northwest coast of America in 1800 and serves as an important piece of regional history.
‘A little blow’
For local resident Geoff Johnson, who publishes photos and videos of the region under the name of “Ukee Tube”, the shipwreck has been a regular characteristic of its content on social networks and seeing it burned was difficult.
“It’s a kind of character,” he told CBC On the island Host Gregor Craigie. “It has ended in innumerable photos of weddings and graduated photos and things over the years. I even filmed a small music video in it.”
Johnson said that the wreck has not been completely destroyed and that it was already being overcome by time and vegetation, but is clearly burned by a fire that suspects that it started directly below or inside the boat.
“It is definitely not as elegant as before, that’s safe,” he said. “It’s a bit blow.”
Geddes said that it is not uncommon for people to have bonfires on the beach, what is allowed, but it is important that people keep them under control and make sure they are published once they leave.
He is not sure that this was responsible for the burn in the boat, but said it serves as a good reminder of why it is important to keep the fires under control.
Johnson said that with the high risk of fire in BC, and people who lose their homes, burned shipwreck may not be so important, but expect people to think about the risks that the fires caused by humans can propose.
“Surely it is connecting me to ground,” he said.
