Firefighters from Langham, Dalmeny and Warman had to contend with winds gusting up to 70 kilometers per hour as they worked to contain a wildfire on the northern outskirts of Langham on Tuesday, September 1.
Langham Fire Chief Bill McCombs said the fire began shortly after 1:00 pm in a field just north of the town. The fire was finally brought under control about 4:15 pm and extinguished by about 5:30 pm.
“It burned probably 50 to 60 acres of swathed crop,”said McCombs in an interview September 2. “It started accidentally, probably as a result of a spark from a rock through a combine. It was powder dry out there and it doesn’t take much to set it off.”
Langham firefighters arrived on scene shortly after the call came in. They immediately called Dalmeny Fire and Rescue to provide mutual aid. Warman Fire Rescue was also called to assist at about 2:00 pm. Wildland trucks, pumpers, tankers and Warman’s specially-equipped side-by-side all-terrain vehicle (ATV) were used to fight the fire.
Area farmers and town public works crews also pitched in to hem the fire in by building firebreaks with cultivators, tractors and graders.
McCombs said the proximity to the town and nearby farms was a concern.
“There were no structures damaged,” said McCombs. “We were trying to get it stopped in the standing crop before it got to the road. It burned right to the edge of the grid.
“We put graders to control the north and south sides of it by putting in fire guards, and to keep it from jumping the road.”
A thick blanket of grey smoke obscured visibility in the area. McCombs said while there were no serious injuries, one firefighter suffering from minor smoke inhalation was taken to hospital to get checked out.
“He had his respirator on but somehow it failed to work properly,” said McCombs. “The firefighter will be fine, but it shows what can happen.”
McCombs said the Langham Fire Department had recently taken delivery of a wildland firefighting side-by-side ATV, but it was temporarily out of service at the time of the fire on September 1.
“We just got it two weeks ago and we had already used it at a couple fires,” said McCombs. “The most recent fire was at about 1:00 in the morning on Sunday night along the CN tracks north and west of town. We used it but we didn’t have any lights on it, so it was a bit challenging.”
McCombs said the pump and tank had been pulled off the ATV in order to install lights at the time of the fire on Tuesday afternoon.
“The timing wasn’t great,” he said. “We sure could have used that vehicle.”
McCombs said while there is no fire ban currently in place in the RM of Corman Park, people still need to be cautious.
“Anyone thinking of having a controlled burn on their property should call the provincial Controlled Burn Number at 1-866-404-4911,” he said.
The Controlled Burn Office will advise the appropriate fire department of the date, time and location of the burn.
McCombs said it’s important to use common sense and keep an eye on weather conditions.
“Don’t burn in very windy, dry weather and always provide extensive fire guarding before a controlled burn,” he said..
McCombs noted the RM of Corman Park has a comprehensive guide to fire safety posted on its website at www.rmcormanpark.ca .