The Britannia Wilton Fire Department has been dispatched to 3 separate calls this week starting Monday, May 16 at 4:36 p.m., when crews responded to a grass fire threatening multiple structures South of the village of Lone Rock.
According to BWFD Captain, Aaron Buckingham, crews were able to contain the fire over a number of hours, despite gusting winds that were also changing directions. All structures we protected.
The fire was started while the land owner was mowing grass, which Buckingham says, “speaks to how little it takes to have a fire start in these tinder dry conditions.”
The following day, at 11:19 at night, crews sent to a vehicle fire on Highway 3, northeast of Lloydminster. Upon arrival, a tractor trailer unit was seen with its rear tires and chassis on fire, and a grass fire spreading into the ditch.
The fire was quickly controlled but the trailer unit did suffer significant damage.
RCMP closed the road temporarily in both directions for about 2 hours. So far, the cause of the fire is not yet known.
The third fire of the week occurred today just before 1 o’clock in the afternoon, crews were dispatched north of Alcurve on highway 3. A small fire in a ditch was quickly handled and extinguished.
The BWFD is reminding all residents that there is a total fire ban in the Rural Municipalities of Britannia and Wilton, which will continue until such a time as it is safe to lift the ban.
Extreme caution is advised as the fire index for the area remains extreme.