Busy week for fire department

By Vicki Winger

It was a busy week for the Whitecourt Fire Department including several calls of grass fires. It’s a grim reminder that although we aren’t into the warm weather yet, the forests and ditches are very dry and it only takes a spark to ignite the grass. Most fires can be prevented by people taking safety precautions.

The exception was the fire on April 24 shortly after lunch hour just off West Mountain Road. High winds had enough force to knock down a tree which fell on top of a power line. The sparks created lit brush on fire. Fire crews, Forestry, and Fortis Alberta were quick to respond. Power was cut off and crews extinguished the blaze. It could have been much worse if not for the actions of nearby neighbours who came with extinguishers and prevented the fire from spreading to a nearby home.