A CP Rail train is responsible for a grass fire that burned about two acres of land for roughly two hours in Balzac, just off of Highway 2 April 24.
The call came into the Balzac Fire station at about 11:52 a.m. and two engines and 14 firefighters were sent to the scene.
“The fire was located on the west side of the QE2 so the mall was not in danger of the fire, but if the wind was blowing in the other direction, we would have been concerned about the smoke,” said Rocky View Fire Services Deputy Chief Perry Preet.
He said grass fires started by trains are a fairly common occurrence in the county.
“The track can heat up if a train is long enough, then it ignites the grass on the track and moves to one or both sides of the tracks depending on the wind,” Preet said.
He added a Level II fire bans were implemented in Rocky View County and in the City of Airdrie last week due to dry conditions.
“Airdrie has had two grass fires in 24 hours, conditions are very dry; residents and motorists are reminded to be cautious, please ensure any smoking materials are properly disposed of and take extra efforts to control possible ignition sources,” said Ken Hubbard, Deputy Chief for Airdrie Fire Department.
In the evening of April 26, a car fire started a small grass fire at Highway 567 and Range Road 275. The fire burned about 600 metres by 200 metres of grass. The blaze burned for about an hour.
“It had the potential to spread and threaten other areas,” said Ken Hubbard, deputy chief of Airdrie Fire Department.
Both Hubbard and Preet said residents must be very cautious with smoking materials this time of the year.
“In ditches and around buildings, the wind is really drying out the grass,” Preet said. “We want people to be very aware when they are discarding cigarettes. If you are walking or driving on a country road, do not throw a cigarette in the grass.”
Level II (severe fire risk) ban includes:
• Incinerators
• Regulated burning barrels
• Solid fuel barbecues
• Recreational camp fires
• Chimeneas
The exemptions to this fire ban are listed as follows:
• Internal household fire places
• Camp stoves
• Liquid fuel barbecues
• Fires contained within approved facilities and appliances in designated camping and recreational areas
Permit burning within the city and county is banned. All outstanding burning permits are suspended until further notice.
On April 24 at 2:26 p.m., officers from the Airdrie Integrated Traffic Unit and the Airdrie Rural RCMP were dispatched to a call of a female in medical distress on Highway 2 near Crossfield.
A 66-year-old woman from Glenwood Alta., was travelling in a vehicle on southbound Highway 2 with her husband when she suddenly collapsed.
The husband stopped the vehicle at the nearest overpass and called 911.
Several concerned motorists also stopped to help – including two off-duty emergency room nurses – and provided CPR until EMS arrived at the scene.
Fire crews from Crossfield and STARS Air Ambulance also attended the scene, but the woman could not be resuscitated.
The death is not considered suspicious and police will not be releasing the name of the deceased.
If you have information on any unsolved crime, call Airdrie RCMP at 403-945-7200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimestoppers.ab.ca.
