NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
A fast-moving wildfire ignited late Sunday morning near Cavan Lake, threatening a dozen homes and forcing their evacuations. Crews from multiple fire departments assisted in the fight, with emergency alerts rescinded about four hours later. No homes were damaged and no one was hurt.
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
Thanks to swift response, a grass fire near Irvine on Sunday resolved without major damage.
At 12:10 p.m. Sunday, the county received a report of a wildfire rapidly advancing at the intersection of Highway 1 and Range Road 40, between Dunmore and Irvine. These reports indicated fast movement, with strong winds contributing to the situation.
The Duty Officer requested additional support from Irvine, Seven Persons and Box Springs County Fire Stations. Fortunately, due to the extremely hot and dry conditions, many county firefighters had already been spending much of the weekend in wildfire training exercises.
Offensive fire operations were initiated to protect nearby structures, and an Alberta emergency alert was broadcast at 12:59 p.m., calling for those in the immediate vicinity to evacuate south on Range Road 40 to Township Road 114, said Dan Hamilton, Reeve of Cypress County.
Additional support was also received from Alberta Wildfire for specialized support and resources, HALO Air Ambulance provided aerial reconnaissance to aid in decision making, while Walsh, Suffield and Newell County fire departments were called in to assist with water supply. Additional tenders were brought in due to rapidly changing conditions.
While approximately 12 residences near Cavan Lake were evacuated, there was no loss of life due to the fire and no homes were affected, though some smaller structures such as quonsets were damaged. The emergency alert was cancelled at 4:02 p.m.
Fire crews will remain on scene for the foreseeable future to ensure no rekindles or hotspots occur.
