A wildfire that has scorched about 116 hectares of sage brush grasslands near Cawston is almost certainly human caused.
The blaze broke out Tuesday afternoon with gusting winds fanning the flames towards several homes.
“Just about lost our house”, said Justin Terbasket.
The fast moving fire got to within about 30 metres of his house when an air tanker retardant drop separated the home from the flames, likely saving it.
Some of the material also coated the structure itself.
“Little stressed out still but we’re good, we’re grateful,” said Terbasket Wednesday morning.
Officially, the fire cause is undetermined.
Unofficially, there is suspicion about a group of seasonal agricultural workers who were in the immediate vicinity of where the blaze broke out.
“When we got up there, they were hiding somewhere,” said nearby resident Dan Terbasket. “I turned around to tell everybody to start packing up their stuff just in case and when we got back up there, they all came out of the bushes. Then they tried to take off.”
Terbasket says the group was intercepted by RCMP.
On Wednesday, helicopters were dropping water on flare-ups and more than two dozen firefighters were dealing with hot spots and reinforcing containment lines.
“It’s very challenging terrain and very hot and dry in a traditionally windy area,” said Wildfire Service Incident Commander Jonathan Finlay.
The fire has scorched about 116 hectares and is mostly contained.
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