Hot, dry, windy conditions lead to multiple fire calls

After a PARTY program presentation at LP Miller High School Friday morning, crews were called to two brush fires on opposite sides of the river that afternoon.

One of the fires was along the ditch of Highway 55 east of White Fox, with the other behind North Fringe/Rehaluk Honey Farms on top of the riverbank.

The ditch fire was extinguished quickly, but the other was much larger and required assistance from the Carrot River Fire Department, SPSA Wildland firefighters, an air drop from two air tankers, helicopter support, and multiple landowners.

(Image Credit: Nipawin Fire/Facebook)

That fire led to the precautionary evacuation of the Nipawin Regional Park.

“This fight stretched into Saturday with flare ups occurring constantly in the incredibly hot, dry, windy conditions,” the department said.

The department was also called out to a brush fire west of Pontrilas on Sunday, and that fire was contained quickly thanks to the help of the person who called in the blaze.

A field fire just past the bridge in the RM of Torch River was their next call on Monday afternoon.

“Eight separate events were recorded in that time, and we are so incredibly grateful to say that no injuries occurred in any of them,” the department stated. “[The Nipawin Fire Department] would also like to apologize for the inconvenience to those in the Regional Park for the evacuation as well as the traffic control measures in the area. These precautionary measures were enacted as the riverbank fire was running wild and was on a direct path to your park gates.”

Meanwhile, Hudson Bay’s Fire Department responded to a large property fire on Sunday.

The incident included fires that burned a shop, multiple straw and wood piles, grass, fence posts, manure piles, and surrounding bush.

(Image Credit: Hudson Bay Fire Department/Facebook)

The shop was already consumed by fire when crews arrived, and the flames had spread west into nearby bush, through a garbage pile, a wood pile, corral fence posts, grass surrounding the area, and a manure pile.

Crews focused their efforts on preventing the fire from spreading further and threatening more property.

Firefighters attacked the blaze from several different angles in an effort to contain grass and bush fires, cool some hot spots, protect structures, and extinguish the burning straw, wood, and manure piles.

“The fire required a tremendous team effort involving firefighters, tankers, tractors, loaders, and community members,” the department said. “Special thanks to everyone who assisted with water hauling, equipment, and manpower throughout the day. Heavy equipment operators played a key role in pulling apart burning material, allowing crews to fully extinguish deep seated hot spots within the straw and wood piles.”

Everyone involved helped contain the fire and put it out before it could spread any further.

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cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

by Cam Lee

Hot, dry, windy conditions lead to multiple fire calls

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