CALGARY – A fast-moving grass fire burned dangerously close to several homes in a northwest mobile park on Wednesday.
The fire sparked around 5:30 p.m. beside the Greenwood Trail Park, north of Canada Olympic Park, along Highway 1.
It sent plumes of thick smoke billowing into the sky, and burned through 4 hectares of land before firefighters were able to extinguish it.
Residents living nearby watched the fire in horror, worried they may have to leave their homes. Luckily, winds fanned the flames in the opposite direction.
Officials also had help battling the blaze from a provincial helicopter, which dropped thousands of gallons of water on the fire.
It’s not known yet how the fire started, but fire crews say conditions were ripe for it.
“Very dry, and the fire hazard right now is considered extreme in the province,” says Battalion Chief Ernie Moulineaux. “Certain areas of the city it could also be a problem.”
The fire department says a fire ban is being considered in Calgary, but nothing has been decided yet.
ON SCENE: Global 1 surveyed the fire shortly after it broke out.
PHOTO: The morning after the destructive blaze, Global Calgary’s David Boushy stopped by to survey the damag
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