A colder spring may have postponed the risk of fire hazards though it hasn't been entirely eliminated as the end of March draws near.
With snow melting away, the dangers of fire starting in dry fields and grasslands are much more common. In fact, grass is considered a fine fuel that will burn faster compared to bushes or forests.
Grass fires may be less intense, but they generate enormous amounts of radiant heat.
According to the Rocky View County (RVC) Deputy Fire Chief, Jon Evans, the month of March typically has plenty of moisture and higher humidity levels. Therefore, "the warm precipitation at this time of the year helps us set up for success throughout the fire season."
Following the season change into summer, Evans encourages residents to be conscious when out in the fields, especially where heated equipment is kept, whether that is farm equipment or recreational vehicles, such as all terrain-vehicles (ATVs).
"They tend to have hot exhausts and combustion engines that do create heat, so being cognizant of that around taller grass [is essential]," Evans said.
Adding to that, Evans mentioned discarding of cigarettes also escalates the risk of fires in dry fields and grasslands.
Last year, the RVC Fire Department took a holistic approach to the county with their partners. "We had the fires in Jasper that drew a lot of resources out of the province," Evans said.
He did acknowledge that they were present in the county during that time. "We weren't all training our [people] for to go help Jasper, so we had a coordinated [approach]."
There were some minor instances this season that Evans briefly discussed such as one north of Langdon and another one east of Crossfield.
"Fast action of the crews were able to keep it contained to the fields; no structures were threatened," Evans said.
He added that another fire took place near the Bragg Creek area, which was able to be contained to the point of origin.
RVC has a burn permit process in place, which is accessible through the County website, which also informs residents about burn piles they are able to burn to minimize the risk of fire spread. That information is coordinated in conjunction with fire advisories or fire bans.
"Our county website is a very good point of resource for anybody looking for information," Evans said.
