A grass fire in Bearspaw on March 14 was quickly brought under control, according to Rocky View Fire Services District Fire Chief Gary Barnett.
The call came into Rocky View Fire Services at 5:29 p.m. about fire on Mountain View Road in Bearspaw, according to Barnett.
“It had the potential to be (a major grass fire),” Barnett said. “There were five or six houses kind of in close proximity, older acreages. The wind was a factor. The grass was really short, which, obviously, helps but the wind was just howling across there Saturday (March 14) evening. It was a very wind-driven fire.”
According to Barnett, 11 firefighters responded from a number of fire stations.
“We were able to get there very quickly from Bearspaw, Balzac and Madden,” he said. “The neighbours were out doing what they could with their beaters and shovels. It burnt through probably three or four acres and just started to lick around some of the out buildings. It didn’t get too close to any of the houses.”
Barnett said firefighters had to cut through a couple of residential fences to get fire trucks close enough to the blaze.
“In the end there was no loss other than the grass,” he said. “There was no need to evacuate residents of any of the neighbouring homes.”
The cause of the fire appears to be accidental.
“We believe that one of the residents had had a small fire earlier in the day, which he had extinguished properly when he thought the wind was picking up,” Barnett said. “You only need a few hours of strong wind, and if you leave the smallest of embers deep underground it will find its way to the top once the wind starts blowing.”
Barnett said residents of Rocky View County should exercise caution when lighting a fire outdoors because of the extremely dry, windy conditions expected in the area for the rest of March.
“We had that snow but you look everywhere now and the grass is all dry,” he said. “There are no burn bans on (now).”
Barnett said firefighters had the fire extinguished by 6:30 p.m.
