Calgary firefighters battle northwest brush fire
Firefighters battled a heavy brush fire in the city's northwest on Monday, stopping the flames from engulfing any nearby homes.
The Calgary Fire Department dispatched six engines and a bush buggy to an off-leash area along McHugh Bluff around 2:30 p.m.
About 45 minutes later, the flames had climbed up the hill and were approaching homes along Crescent Road N.W.
"One of the callers stated she felt her home was being threatened by the fire as it got closer and definitely when we have brush fires or grass fires in the city, that is a significant risk, especially when it's windy," said Carol Henke, CFD public information officer.
Fire crews worked to douse the flames from the top of McHugh Bluff and below, while the Calgary Police Service used its HAWCS helicopter to help guide firefighters.
"I heard the helicopter circling and mom looked out the front door and she could see the smoke coming up and the sky colour wasn't good, so we could see the general direction from where it was coming from and then we went to see what was going on," one resident said.
It's not clear what caused this fire, but dry conditions and seasonal cotton fluff mean it's especially easy for one little spark to create dangerous situations.
In a release Monday evening, the CFD said it was still investigating the cause, but "the fire may be related to improper disposal of smoking material."
"Improper disposal of smoking material such as tobacco products is the leading cause of outdoor fires in Calgary. To help reduce outdoor fire risks, citizens should make an effort to properly dispose of smoking material," the fire department said.
The fire prompted Calgary police to close Crescent Road N.W. between 10 Street and Fourth Street.
No injuries were reported and no property damage was reported.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.