A carelessly discarded cigarette was to blame for a grass fire that was ignited northeast of Calgary on Sunday afternoon and has spurred a warning from police related to the serious consequences of such an act.
Alberta RCMP said Beiseker RCMP received a call reporting a fire in a ditch along Highway 9 north of Keoma at about 3:20 p.m.
“The fire spread rapidly and was blown eastward by strong winds,” RCMP said in a statement Monday. “Nearby farmers and residents of the Tscheder Hutterite Colony were able to use farm equipment and create fire barriers which prevented the fire from reaching any nearby farmyards and residences.”
Firefighters from Beiseker, Crossfield, Irricana and Rocky View County responded to the fire, just one of many in recent weeks in southern Alberta due to exceptionally dry and windy conditions.
Investigators extinguished the fire and found the source: a cigarette butt along the shoulder of Highway 9 near Range Road 270.
“We’ve lost farms, houses, pets, livestock and infrastructure to fires already and — the greatest loss of all — a volunteer firefighter from Cypress County was killed while fighting a fire this fall,” Cpl. Curtis Peters said in a statement.
“This is now the second fire that we know was caused by a cigarette butt. Both of these were completely preventable. We need people to get the message and stop tossing their butts out of vehicles.”
The RCMP said those who start fires can face legal actions including fines for littering, criminal charges such as mischief or criminal negligence and/or civil financial responsibility for costs associated to the fire response and repairs.
Anyone who sees a fire should call 911.
Anyone who sees someone throwing a cigarette butt out of a vehicle should contact local police and not engage in a confrontation with the person, police said.