INNISFAIL – The local fire department has received requests to help suppress the province’s growing number of wildfires in northern Alberta.
Gary Leith, director of protective services for the Town of Innisfail, told the Albertan his office has received requests to help out with the current wildfire situation in the province but so far none have been deployed.
“We have received requests and are looking at those requests and our current staff,” said Leith. “We obviously have a large area. We have limited numbers of people and to send people off we want to make sure we have sufficient resources here to deal with any problems that could crop up here.
“We're the same. We're dry. We're getting hot, warm (weather) with very little rain. We're mindful of that,” added Leith. “And if we do have available personnel, we will send them out.”
Leith said while current conditions may appear “green and up quite nice” his fire department is also mindful of the “fire fuels” that are sitting below the surface, especially in surrounding rural areas the local fire department can be called out to manage and support in the event of wildfires.
“The ground is dry. That’s the reality of it,” said Leith. “And with that fire fuel, the dead grass and deadfall, it does cause us a risk. That's why we have fire restrictions currently in the area.
“And the provincial parks have all put in fire bans, and out west has also got fire bans,” he added. “That’s the safer thing to do until we get some moisture to turn around and bring that fire risk down.”
In the meantime, Leith was at town council’s special meeting on June 2 to brief members on changes to equipment that is provided by Red Deer County.
The Innisfail Fire Department provides contract services to Red Deer County and have mutual aid agreements with surrounding municipalities.
The contracted area is more than 750 square kilometres and stretches from Penhold to the north, to the Bowden Institution to the south, and to Highway 766 at the southern tip of Gleniffer Lake to the west, and then to Highway 816 to the east.
Council was told Red Deer County currently provides Innisfail with the following fire apparatus:
• two water tenders capable of each carrying 3,500 gallons of water (2017);
• one engine (2007);
• wild land unit complete with off highway vehicle (2011), and
• rescue truck.
Leith told council the expected service life of front-line fire apparatus is 15 years and as part of the replacement program, Innisfail will see a replacement engine and wildland unit by the end of summer 2025.
He said the new equipment will arrive with enhancements, including a top deck monitor, battery-operated vent fan, and additional tools to support rescue operations, while the wildland unit will have an increased water capacity to meet requirements of a Type 6 unit.
Council was told these units will complement the town’s engine on any calls within the Town.
Leith added the cost for the new equipment will likely be in the $1 million range with Red Deer County picking up the entire bill.
Following Leith’s report, council approved it as information.
Five Olds firefighters went up north to battle the Sturgeon County wildfire in May, but no members of the department have been sent to fight wildfires since, says Olds Fire Chief Justin Andrew.
In an email, he indicated it's kind of a question of work/life balance.
"The requests are frequent but right now, we are maintaining our own service area and trying to be aware of the demands on our people for their time," he wrote.
"It’s a tricky balance when the majority of the people that the province calls on for help in these situations are volunteers. They have jobs, responsibilities to their families and their own wellness to look after, and it definitely puts a strain on them to year after year to call upon them repeatedly for two or three months at a time."
