Vancouver was oppressively hot on 13 June 1886, a condition only made worse by the clearing fires on the CPR lands. A strong breeze provided some relief from the heat. The trees on the CPR townsite had all been felled in the 2-month old “city” and now fires were being used to clear away the stumps and the brush.
The young settlement had only been built up to about Cambie Street on the west. What exactly caught fire first depends on the source telling the story. Somewhere between Hamilton and Granville streets, according to one eyewitness. Another report said it was first discovered at the Ferguson Block at Powell and Carrall, while still others say it originated in a brush heap near the store of Messrs. Hayden & Co. or in the shed of the Colonial Hotel. Most likely, the sudden burst of strong wind that allowed the fire to obliterate the city in less than an hour showered embers on several locations.
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