Firefighters from the Cochrane Fire Department (CFD) assisted crews from Rocky View County Fire Services (RVCFS) to battle a grassfire north of Cochrane March 8, according to CFD Platoon Captain Jory Jenson.
“It was north of Cochrane off of Highway 22, just past Highway 567. It was caused by, we believe, a burn barrel,” he said. “There were windy and dry conditions and we believe embers got out of the burn barrel and started the grassfire.
“It was probably about 15 to 20 acres that was involved. That’s not an abnormally large grassfire but it’s certainly getting there.”
According to Jenson, RVCFS requested the assistance of CFD. Two bush buggies, a water tender and an attack engine from CFD were used.
“The attack engine was added at the end because there was some concern about the grassfire moving up towards the house,” he said. “We don’t normally use a municipal fire engine out in the wild land but we do if we think it’s going to impinge on houses or buildings.”
Jenson said no buildings were destroyed by the fire, though some fence posts did surrender to the blaze.
“Rocky View and Cochrane members were able to stop it at all the residences and outbuildings,” he said. “That was due to the efforts of the firefighters.”
Ten firefighters from CFD were on scene. CFD was called out at approximately 12 p.m., according to Jenson.
There were no injuries to firefighters or the property’s residents.
Cochrane RCMP was also involved in the incident, diverting traffic from Highway 22 between Highway 567 and Township Road 272 to side roads due to the heavy smoke that was causing reduced visibility.
According to Cochrane RCMP Sergeant Jeff Campbell, Rocky View County (RVC) Peace Officers along with the RVC Fire Investigator will be investigating to determine if the resident was following proper County procedures for burning in a burn barrel.
No fire ban was in place at the time of the grassfire.
