Regional Fire Chief of the M.D. of Taber, Brian Schafer. Photo credit: GTA Photography

By Justin Goulet

Fire Safety

One small spark can create a blaze

Apr 26, 2019 | 11:24 AM

TABER, AB – One might think that the rain and flurries in the local forecast means there’s a lesser chance of a fire starting up, but that’s not necessarily the case, according to Brian Schafer.

Schafer is the Regional Fire Chief of the M.D. of Taber. The fire service is comprised of six different stations, with over 110 members. The town of Taber itself has a specific fire service for in-town limits.

“We have our odd structure fire (but) a lot of the stuff in the M.D. is fields, grass, equipment, ditches, power lines in the wind sometimes spark up as well and start grass fires in the ditches, which lead to bigger fires with the wind,” Schafer said.

The service also covers ice water rescues and responds to motor vehicle collisions in their area.

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The M.D. service has been very busy lately, with numerous calls coming in over the Easter weekend. Schafer said in one instance, a family was out target practicing when a small spark from a bullet hitting a metal target created a flame, leading to a field fire that hit close to 90 acres.

Fortunately, no one was injured but Schafer said it could have been a lot worse.

“When I was first on scene, the people that had started the fire were actually there trying to put it out with their jackets because that’s all they had, but there were no injuries,” he said.

READ MORE: M.D. of Taber fire crews tackle multiple calls over Easter weekend

In light of this weekend’s forecast, Schafer said just because an area has received heavy precipitation, there is still a risk for a fire and it’s important to be mindful of dry conditions.

“Once temperatures get higher, humidity is lower – there’s a crossover, so when the temperature is higher than the humidity then it’s very easy for the fire to start, to have something ignite. The drier it is, the easier it is to start a fire,” he noted.

“Simple things to help is to keep your matches and lighters in your pockets. The motto for (preventing) wildfires, if you’re having a campfire is soak it, stir it and soak it again. Even something as simple as if you’re pulling a camper trailer…don’t let the chains drag on the ground. Simple sparks can hit the ditch and (light) the ditch on fire.”

He also said it’s important that people do not toss their cigarette butts out of their vehicle windows or on the ground while out for a walk, especially in windy conditions.

“Even though we may get a bit of rain or snow over the weekend, as soon as the winds pick up, it doesn’t take long for that to dissipate and be gone and we’re back to the same (dry) conditions.”

It’s been a busy time for other regional fire departments as well. On Thursday, April 25, Coaldale and Lethbridge fire crews battled a farmyard blaze south of Highway-512.

READ MORE: Coaldale and Lethbridge Fire crews deal with farmyard blaze

SPOT A FIRE, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

If someone spots a fire, the first thing to do is call 911 right away.

Schafer said if the person is trained on using a fire extinguisher and there is one nearby, depending on the scenario, they could try to put out the flames.

“If it’s not safe to do so, I wouldn’t recommend trying to put it out because you could risk (being) injured and if it is really windy, the winds could change. You think you’re standing in a safe position, the winds change, and they can overtake you in no time at all,” he added.

In the M.D. of Taber, Schafer said there are special fire permits available if someone wishes to burn.

“Adequate water supply must be maintained and supervised at all time while it’s burning. It must be phoned into Taber Police Service dispatch before you light the fire. If it’s in a field, it must be disked around. There are many factors listed in our burn permit,” he explained.

Schafer added that if winds are over 20 km/h, they prefer that a fire not be lit.

IMPACT OF WIND

In addition to dry conditions, southern Alberta is famous for being a hot spot for high winds.

“There’s a lot of grassland in our area, so when the wind comes up and the grass is short and dry, everything moves at a higher rate of speed,” Schafer said, using Biggar, Saskatchewan as an example.

“It’s kind of the same situation there, it’s so dry and with the winds, quite a big chunk of area has already burned. Once it starts, it’s very hard to catch.”

That fire in central Saskatchewan is said to be under control, thanks to hard work from local fire crews.

PROVINCIAL WILDFIRES

Not only do the M.D. of Taber stations cover the local area, they’ve also assisted in fighting wildfires across the province, including the 2017 fires at Waterton Lakes National Park.

“We had four vehicles go and I believe it was 16 firefighters go and participate in that event. With our six stations, we have 115 volunteer firefighters with access,” Schafer noted.

“We also went to support Cypress County with the Hilda fires. I think we had six or seven trucks and around 20 members go with us that night. We’re definitely available to help our neighbours out.”

Schafer said no matter what, it’s always important to be fire-smart and take extra precautions when dealing with fire.

“Don’t let your guard down, stick to being fire-smart and fire-safe and we should have no issues.”