Grass fires keeps firefighters busy

High winds and 27 C (80 F) temperatures made it a hazardous weekend for fire activity, with about 10 grass fires reported across the district.
Within town limits, the Fort Frances Fire Department was called to put out a grass fire on Webster Avenue in the north end Friday afternoon, and then one at the Abitibi-Consolidated landfill site Sunday on McIrvine Road.
Both have been extinguished.
But much more action was taking place across the district. While several fires, including one caused by a tree blown over onto a power line in Emo, were handled by volunteer fire departments, the largest one required assistance from the Ministry of Natural Resources.
“Sunday afternoon we were called to a grass fire in the Township of Dawson, just north of Rainy River,” noted Harrold Boven, MNR fire operations supervisor here.
“The Rainy River Fire Department had responded already but due to the high winds, [it] requested support.”
That support came in the form of two FireRanger crews, consisting of four firefighters each, and two waterbombers.
The fire consumed about 40 hectares before being put out, noted Boven, who called yesterday’s conditions those of an “extreme burning day.”
The MNR also responded to a grass fire 20 km east of here Saturday. That blaze, which consumed six ha, required one FireRanger crew and a waterbomber to put it out.
“Everything should be fine there today. We’re going to go take a look at it to be sure, though,” said Boven.
The fire hazard currently is “moderate” for most of the Fort Frances District except further north around Caliper Lake, where it’s listed as “high.”
In related news, the Fort Frances Fire Department was going to begin burning several grassy areas in town today but the overnight rain has put a damper on that plan–at least for now.
“Even though we’re having rain, there is still a lot of dead grass out there,” Fire Chief Steve Richardson said Monday.
“As soon as the weather co-operates, we’ll be out there doing prescribed burns,” he added. A good chance of rain and thunderstorms is in the forecast for the next few days.
Areas to be burned include Flinders Place, Lyndy Place, in the north end of town, and near the airport.