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Grass fire season opens with high damages

It’s only mid-March but already the worry concerning grass fires has popped up in Central Alberta.
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Members of the Lacombe Fire Services extinguish the last remnants of a grass fire that got out of control. By the time members arrived at the scene — south side of Hwy 11 about 100 metres east of the Red Deer river — the fire had engulfed a motorhome and part of a quonset. Firefighter’s efforts were initially hampered by the fact that there was live ammunition inside the motorhome.

It’s only mid-March but already the worry concerning grass fires has popped up in Central Alberta.

Lacombe firefighters were busy responding to two grass fires Monday including one near the Joffre Bridge which destroyed a motor home and damaged a nearby Quonset, said Fred Millar, Fire Services Co-ordinator with the Lacombe Regional Firefighting Service.

The Joffre Bridge area fire, which occurred around 1:30 p.m. near the bridge located about 15 km east of Red Deer, didn’t cause any injuries.

The grass fire was contained quickly by firefighters who also saved most of the Quonset.

Millar said the Town of Bentley Fire Department also responded to a grass fire Monday in a ditch near that community. “It’s getting pretty dry out there so people need to be careful,” Millar said.

He also said people considering burning anything outdoors should proceed with caution because of the dry conditions.

He said fire permits will be required on April 1 but people need to be careful now if they are burning anything.