Police are again advising residents to extinguish their cigarettes in a safe manner after it was found that a large grassfire on Sunday was caused by a smoker.
Beiseker RCMP was notified about a grassfire in a ditch along Highway 9 at about 3:20 p.m. on October 29.
Firefighters from three districts were called to the area to fight the blaze that was whipped up by severe winds and dry conditions.
It spread rapidly eastwards, towards the Tscheder Hutterite Colony. Members of the colony aided in the fight, using farm equipment to create a barrier to prevent the flames from reaching any buildings.
Once the fire was knocked down, officials traced the source to a cigarette butt found on the shoulder of Highway 9 near Range Road 270.
Police say that this is the second fire that they know was caused by a discarded cigarette.
Back on October 17, a large grassfire burned through a section of farmland near Airdrie, destroying one home and a number of other buildings and vehicles. Two dogs perished in that fire as well.
Corporal Curtis Peters, media relations officer for Southern Alberta, says both fires were completely preventable.
“We need people to get the message and stop tossing their butts out of vehicles.”
Peters says that anyone found to be responsible for causing a wildfire could face legal and civil actions including:
- a fine for littering
- charges under the Criminal Code such as mischief or criminal negligence
- civil financial responsibility for costs associated with fire response and repairs
Authorities say anyone who sees a fire burning should call 911 and anyone who sees someone throw a cigarette out their window should call their local police station and avoid confronting the driver.
