By Ashley Wiebe

“We don’t ask for very much”: Barnes seeking provincial help for Hilda

Nov 22, 2017 | 4:04 PM

DUNMORE, AB — It’s been more than one month since an out of control grass fire tore through the Hilda area.

Residents are still coming to terms with what happened and what has been lost.

“It was a wildfire, a grass fire, but it was also enhanced by a crazy weather event that made this into a real local disaster for those people,” said Cypress County Councillor Robin Kurpjuweit.

Disaster is a word which is being said more and more in hopes of getting the province’s attention.

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“One thing we really noticed was the fire spread in the ditches because of such a strong wind that we had with this fire,” said Andy Kirschenman, president of the Hilda and Community Association.

Kirschenman spoke with Cypress County council on Tuesday. He helped paint a picture as to what residents need now.

“One of the big things that we want council to be aware of is that there are some things that can and should be changed to the fire permitting process that I think would definitely have an impact on future fires,” he said.

Fire permits aren’t the only thing residents have on their minds ahead of the New Year.

“There’s a lot of grass lost, feed lost and erosion of the soil that has to be looked at for the long term basis,” said Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes, who has been having conversations with the Oneil Carlier, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.

He said the concerns of Hilda residents are being heard in Edmonton.

“There’s a program the provincial government has called Disaster Recovery,” he said. “I think the provincial government needs to look at calling this area a disaster … making sure that federal money comes in, making sure that those that had an un-insurable loss are covered.”

Before that can happen, the fire needs to be deemed as a “disaster.”

Kurpjuweit said the county is looking at all of its options and staff are working to make sure the province has all of the information they need to find any available funding.

“When it doesn’t fit within that [Disaster Recovery Program] and you have well-natured people who are trying to find a way to fund it, you’re thinking outside the box,” he said. “It takes time.”

He admits the waiting game hasn’t been easy.

“It can be frustrating because the process takes time and for those that are affected by the fire, what takes us a week or two to get through the process, it feels like two months,” he added.

“We don’t ask for very much down here but when we do need something, it’s their responsibility to get here,” Barnes said.