OLDS — Olds firefighters are urging area residents to be “extremely cautious” when working outside.
That advice comes in the wake of an April 9 grass fire that consumed up to 10 acres.
Olds firefighters received the call to the fire at about 4:15 p.m. at a feed yard fire on Twp. Rd. 324 east of Rge. Rd. 24 in Mountain View County.
Fifteen firefighters from Olds, along with eight from Didsbury responded to the blaze.
Farm implements were used to encircle and cut off the fire before it reached a treed area and a neighbouring home.
It took firefighters about three hours to contain the fire and make sure it was extinguished.
There were no injuries because of the fire, and damage was limited to several straw bales and fence line.
“Olds Fire arrived to find a ground cover fire that had spread to some straw bales and an adjacent stubble field," a fire department news release said.
“Due to the high intensity westerly winds this fire spread quickly over an area of approximately seven to 10 acres.
“The use of a tractor and cultivator along with other tractors from neighbours greatly helped fire crews contain the fire and ensure that it was in a safe condition to prevent further spread.”
The cause of the fire was deemed to have been caused accidentally. Officials saw no need to investigate the matter further.
“The Olds Fire Department would like to remind everyone that in the current spring conditions the potential for fire is great, and to be extremely cautious when working outside in areas with dry fuel loads,” the news release said.
“Always have a water fire extinguisher in close proximity as it could save lives and property.”
In an interview in recent weeks, Olds Fire Department Chief Justin Andrew said fire conditions in Olds and area could change rapidly.
"This time of year, the transition of time between the snow cover melting away and new grass growth coming in is always a dangerous time in any community,” Andrew said.
“That’s because the fine fuel materials, which would be grass and dead vegetation are at the driest point. They have no life left in them and so they become, essentially, a fuel.
“Any type of a fire situation can be increased. Things like smoking material or mechanical failures or something or exhaust from vehicles and off-road vehicles can spark them up.
“So until there’s new green grass growth coming through, it’s always a thing that we face. And depending on what the moisture levels are at this time of year (a lack of) snow or rainfall obviously can make it worse.”
He said the snow that fell a couple of weeks ago likely bought the community some time but “a couple of days of sunshine and even a breeze dries that material out again and we’re right back to where we were.”
Andrew said the Olds Fire Department keeps in constant communication with other fire departments in Mountain View County as well as with county officials themselves to keep on top of conditions.
He said residents should know that fire permits could be revoked at any time and a fire ban instilled immediately, if conditions become conducive to fires.
“At the beginning of the week it might be fine, but by Wednesday there could be a fire ban in place and it changes, so we never want people to plan long-range, especially at this time of year, to conduct burning,” he said.
“They always have to complete a permit so that they are informed, because if the ban is in place, then the permit cannot be filled.”
Andrew said as an example of just how much conditions throughout the county can change, a just a couple of weeks ago, the
Carstairs area was extremely dry and saw some grass fires break out, whereas it was wetter in the Olds area.
Andrew said the call volume at the Olds Fire Department was lower than last year, and last year was an unusually quiet one.
He figures that was largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There was a lack of travel and people were home more and not as busy moving about as they normally would be,” he said.
This year, the Olds area has received what Andrew described as “a decent snowfall,” the snow cover remained in place for a while.
In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting rules are still largely in place, so Andrew is cautiously optimistic that this year’s grass fire season won’t be too bad either.
He said this month will be key. If more snow or rain falls, that could help keep grass fires down.
However, “if it stays dry and windy, then we could see an increase, say within a couple of days.”
Andrew said if residents have any concerns about fire conditions and whether or not they can obtain burn permits, they’re welcome to contact the Olds Fire Department.
