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By Alex McCuaig

Multiple minor grass fires already

‘High dangerous times,’ says county fire chief as fire risk looms large

Jul 28, 2020 | 4:17 PM

CYPRESS COUNTY, AB – Cypress County’s fire chief is warning that current conditions have elevated the region’s fire risk to the point it’s not if a large wildfire will hit the area but when.

“We’re getting into the high dangerous times,” says Kelly Meyer.

Indicators for fires are currently rated at either very high or extreme across southeastern Alberta with little moisture in the past two weeks combining with an abundance of combustible vegetation.

And those conditions aren’t forecast to change any time soon.

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Meyer says there were already multiple minor grass fires reported by mid-day Tuesday along the Trans-Canada Highway.

A year out from the Graburn Road fire that resulted in Cypress County declaring a state of local emergency on July 27, 2019 Meyer says conditions are getting to the point where a similar wildfire could be sparked.

“Conditions are ramping up to be the same,” says Meyer. “We have no moisture in the soil right now. When you get those fires that burn really hot, they get into the sage brush, they start migrating through the root system and then they start popping up everywhere.”

The Graburn fire was sparked by a lightning strike from a dry thunderstorm, something Meyer says there are indications the same thing could happen in the county in the next few days.

Meyer says human-caused fires can also be the result of improper disposal of cigarettes, not extinguishing campfires, sparks from trailer chains or simply a vehicle’s engine heat igniting dry vegetation as it is driven over tall grass.