Cypress County standing by to send fire crew, vehicle to Jasper

By Medicine Hat News on July 26, 2024.

@MedicineHatNews

Cypress County fire officials were awaiting final orders Thursday afternoon to deploy a wildfire fighting vehicle and a crew to man it to aid in the Jasper area, officials told the News.

Fire chief Jason Lytton told the News a request for additional resources was received on Wednesday night as the situation in Jasper National Park worsened and flames in the surrounding forest reached the town.

Final orders were expected later in the day, with Lytton stating that local crew would likely be dispatched to the Jasper area, not to another area to provide backfill for other areas providing equipment.

In 2023, Cypress County sent seven firefighters and three vehicles to aid with fires across the northern part of the province.

Medicine Hat fire chief Chad Eakin told the News the city department would not be sending staff or equipment.

Both men said the local fire hazard situation is generally high and residents should be especially cautious to help prevent accidental fires, particularly with smoking material like cigarettes.

As well, said Eakin, rain this spring led to a larger volume of grass in natural areas which is now drying out in extended heat. That has increased the potential fuel load.

Cypress County has been under a fire restriction since late June, and this week the alert level was raised in the County of Forty Mile and Newell County.

The special Areas are under afire advisory, which asks residents to use additional caution.

Fire bans in rural municipalities in southwest Saskatchewan include those in the RMs of Gull Lake, Bigstick, Fox Valley and Happyland, while the RM of Enterprise has issued fire restrictions.

[Editor’s note: This version clarifies the headline that Cypress County has not dispatched fire resources to aid in the wildfire emergency in Jasper, but has received request from Alberta Emergency management officials and is awaiting formal orders that may include sending resources north.]

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