As flames continue to wreak havoc in northern Alberta, Okotoks and MD Foothills crews are on standby.
The departments have been in conversation with the Fire Commissioner’s office provincial emergency services and are prepared to send a joint force from Okotoks and the MD if they get the call to respond.
Okotoks fire chief Ken Thevenot said the joint response allows the region to offer support but not deplete its own resources close to home, where conditions remain dry.
“We don’t want to send resources there and not be able to handle anything that could happen here,” said Thevenot.
He said the Province is sending out calls for response as necessary and has asked people not to show up on their own, in order to make the situation easier to manage.
Foothills fire chief Jim Smith said teams from towns and cities are being called to action before MDs and counties across Alberta, to ensure there are sufficient resources left in communities.
“The forest-fire fighters are up there now, which leaves the western border exposed,” said Smith. “We want to help, but we have to make sure we’re also taking care of our own backyard.”
He said the Foothills Fire Department has two apparatus ready to go if the call comes in – an engine and a bush buggy, which will seat a total of seven members.
The call to help could come any time, as the fire will continue to burn for weeks, said Smith, who is trained in fighting forest fires. He teaches certification for firefighters.
“The goal there the last number of days has been life safety, but now they’re looking at control,” said Smith. “I expect the next plan is infinite control.”
Crews will work to get the fire under control, and also control electrical and gas lines by turning off connections for safety, he said. At that point, firefighters can begin focusing on property conservation, he said.
“Forest fires are so vastly different from structural, because resources are not all focused on one specific place,” said Smith. “Fires that span hundreds of kilometres, it can take days, weeks, months to extinguish that.”
He said the “mop-up” – going around looking for hot spots after the fire is under control, takes the longest time in fighting forest fires.
“The city might be extinguished, but the forest will burn for a long time,” said Smith. “They’ll be working up there for months.”
