Two grassfires broke out Tuesday afternoon, one on the north end of Calgary and the other in a rural area southwest of the city. A grassfire in Rocky View County north of Calgary near Twp Rd. 280 and Range Rd. 23 is now under control.
A downed power line is believed to be the initial cause, and strong winds, reaching up to 70 km/hr, have contributed to the fire's spread over approximately 350 acres.
Currently, there's no need for further evacuations. However, power outages will continue until 7:30 p.m. from Twp Rd. 280, extending north for 1 mile along Simon Valley Road, to allow for repairs.
Rocky View County emergency teams are actively managing hot spots and reinforcing the fire's perimeter to protect nearby structures and prevent the fire from spreading.
Utility services are also closely working with fire crews to tackle any issues caused by the fire.
In addition, municipal enforcement officers are securing the area to ensure the safety of the public and the crews engaged in fire suppression efforts.
There is a strong response force on the scene, including fire crews from seven Rocky View County Stations, with additional support from Town of Crossfield, Mountain View County, City of Airdrie, and the Municipal District of Big Horn.
A public advisory notice was issued by Rocky View County advising people to avoid non-essential travel in the area. Local RCMP evacuated residents in certain affected areas. The Crossfield Reception Centre has been opened to assist evacuees and to provide them with resources.
A little later in the afternoon a second grass fire had fire crews responding to a rural area south of Calgary. Multiple crews are responding to a large grass fire in the Millarville area. Calls came in around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5 for a large fire just south of Highway 549 near 128 Street West in Foothills County Fire crews from Diamond Valley, Foothills County and Okotoks are responding along with Foothills Municipal Enforcement.
