Chestermere firefighters joined crews from across the region to battle a brush fire south of Indus on Oct. 14, as high winds complicated efforts to contain the flames.
Rocky View County reported the fire under control at 6:30 p.m., an hour after its first public update. Firefighters remained at the scene to deal with spot fires and burning bales and to monitor the area.
The fire was near Range Road 282 and Township Road 224. In its 5:30 p.m. notice, the county estimated the affected area at between five and 10 acres, or approximately two to four hectares.
At that point, no injuries had been reported and no structures were involved. Crews from Langdon, Balzac, Irricana, Foothills County and Chestermere were responding.
The county asked people to avoid the area, both for their own safety and to give emergency crews room to work.
Its notices did not identify an ignition source, provide a final burned-area measurement or say when the last crews left. The 6:30 p.m. update described continuing work at the site after the fire was brought under control.
Chestermere’s participation reflected the cooperation between neighbouring fire services. Rocky View County has previously described its relationship with Chestermere as a longstanding mutual aid partnership.
Indus is served by Langdon Fire Station 111, according to the county’s community information page. The station provides fire coverage for the southeastern portion of Rocky View County.
Regional fire coverage is also the subject of continuing discussions between the county and Chestermere.
On Sept. 22, county council directed its administration to continue negotiating an automatic aid agreement for Conrich, Prince of Peace and the Janet Industrial Business Area. Council also requested an assessment of a proposed eight-firefighter staffing model and the associated financial contribution.
Automatic aid differs from traditional mutual aid by sending participating departments at the same time, rather than waiting for another department to request assistance after dispatch.
For rural households, the county’s fire-prevention information stresses that weather and moisture conditions can vary considerably across its territory. Fire advisories and bans may apply to eastern Rocky View, western Rocky View or both, with Highway 2 dividing the two areas.
Residents can check restrictions through the county website, Alberta Fire Bans or Rocky View’s recorded fire-ban information line at 403-520-6310.
The FireSmart guide available through the county recommends including debris removal in spring and fall yard maintenance. Dry leaves, twigs and branches should be cleared from yards and gutters to reduce combustible material around homes.
The county also offers its Safe & Sound notification service as a way to learn about fire advisories and bans. Residents should check the rules for their location before burning. Fire emergencies should be reported by calling 911.