Fire crews battle a grass fire west of South Railway Street on June 13, 2023. (Photo Courtesy Kevin Kyle)

By Brendan Miller

Crews quick to douse grass fire along South Railway Street

Jun 13, 2023 | 4:15 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Fire crews were quick to extinguish a grass fire that broke out in a wooded area west of South Railway Street this morning.

Officials say the fast response aided fire suppression efforts as they were able to contain the fire quickly after receiving a call for service around 10:30 a.m.

The fire happened behind Daramola Medical Clinic and the Alberta Health Services building between South Railway Street and Sixth Avenue SE.

Police deemed it an accident after the major crimes unit attended to investigate.

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There are several people without a fixed address that camp around the area of the blaze, police add.

Capt. Jason Labash of Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services says the combination of dry and hot conditions means it only takes a spark to ignite a grass fire that can spread out of control.

“A fire in these conditions right now can start off as a simple cigarette and spread to some grass, multiply quickly into some fallen brush and then into some trees and start spreading out of control. So then it starts to exhaust our resources quite fast,” he says.

Firefighters remind people to call 911 if you see a fire to ensure a quick response from first responders.