Fire Department Responds to Multiple Grass Fires

April 25, 2021

After a long day of successful hazard reduction burns in Peace River on Saturday, April 24, firefighters were called out four subsequent times that evening due to grass fires unrelated to the hazard reduction burns.

The first call came in around 4 PM  for a small grass fire in the County of Northern Lights caused by a transformer. Crews extinguished that fire and returned to their halls only to be called out again at 5:15 PM for a grass fire near 80 St. in the Westbrook area of Peace River west of Misery Mountain. It took two hours to extinguish that fire and get trucks back in service. Firefighters were just leaving the fire hall when they were called again at 7:50 PM to head to another grass fire near 98 St. in Peace River, just south of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This was followed up by a fourth call that evening at 10:15 PM for a grass fire at the south end of 101 St. in the South End of town. This final grass fire was extinguished by 12:30 AM.

While one fire was due to sparks from a power distribution transformer, the other three were deemed to be caused by human influence.

With the current very dry grass conditions, the Fire Department would like to remind everyone to be extra cautious when outside.

  • The use of Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) is not permitted on public lands and roadways within the Town of Peace River limits (Bylaw #1831). However, they may be used on lands near town and on private property. If you’re using an OHV please ensure that debris, such as dried grasses and leaves aren’t collecting near the hot parts of your OHV such as the muffler, exhaust, under your seat, in the wheel wells, engine, and manifold.
  • Please ensure that any smoking materials, such as cigarettes, are completely extinguished and placed in a suitable receptacle, rather than discarded along a sidewalk or roadway.
  • The Fire Department would like to also remind people that the discharge of Fireworks is prohibited under the Town’s Fire Services Bylaw (#1833). The discharge of Fireworks of any kind in these dry grass conditions is extremely hazardous.

Anybody with any information regarding persons discharging fireworks at the south-end of 101 Street between 10:00 pm and 10:15 pm on Saturday, April 24th, is asked to contact the Fire Chief at 780-624-2993 or RCMP at 780-624-6677.

Whilst precipitation is forecasted for Peace River this week, “the grass can dry up very quickly at this time of year and people should always exercise caution when outside around town and in the hills” said Fire Chief Tim Harris.