Smoke seen from Sunday's Blood Reserve fire (Photo courtesy Blood Tribe Communications & Community Engagement)

By Justin Goulet/LethbridgeNewsNOW

15,000 acres of land burned in Sunday’s Blood Reserve fire, cause confirmed

Mar 30, 2021 | 12:01 PM

STANDOFF, AB – Multiple wildfires burned across southern Alberta Sunday, including on the Blood Reserve.

Blood Tribe Fire Chief Jacen Abrey says the department received a call shortly after noon on March 28, alerting them of a grass fire near Highway 509.

Abrey and staff set up an incident command and staging area near the hay plant to strategize how to address the blaze.

Shortly after, the Blood Tribe Fire Department was able to secure assistance from surrounding communities and citizens to help put out the grass fire.

Various fire departments, from Raymond, Coaldale, Magrath and Mid-Rivers, as well as local Hutterite colonies and farmers with tractors and disc equipment, helped in the response.

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A team of over 30 Blood Tribe firefighters worked diligently at the scene for over 12 hours to contain the fire using five trucks until the weather moved in.

Abrey says equipment operators running the tractors with discs were able to create a fireguard approximately 30 to 40 feet wide to help contain the flames and keep the fire from spreading.

The Fire Chief noted that about 15,000 acres, a land that stretches about 28 kilometres west to east and six kilometres south to north along Highway 509, burned.

The Blood Tribe Fire Department has confirmed that the grass fire was started by a sweat lodge session that was taking place near Highway 509.

Fires also affected the communities of Carmangay and Claresholm on Sunday.

READ MORE: Four homes destroyed in Claresholm fire, but no one injured

READ MORE: Carmangay and Claresholm residents return home following Sunday wildfires