Cigarette butts a possible source of brush fire: Calgary fire department

Multiple units had to be called in to fight a fire in a green space in suburban Calgary.

At just after 4 p.m., the Calgary Fire Department was called to the area of 69 Street and 14 Avenue S.W. for a brush fire.

“When fire crews arrived, they did encounter significant flame that was moving quite quickly due to the wind. So they had to position apparatus in various areas to protect homes, to fight the fire and access was a bit of a problem because this is quite hilly terrain and a bit of a valley,” CFD public information officer Carol Henke said.

There were no injuries and no structures received any fire damage, Henke said.

“Anytime there’s a brush fire like this or a grass fire, the wind picks up. It can travel incredibly quickly and very quickly start a building fire. Thankfully, that did not happen in this case.”

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Henke said some homeowners pulled out their garden hoses to try to keep the fire at bay while firefighters were en route.

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“We always appreciate when people do what they can without putting themselves in danger,” she said.

But the CFD spokesperson said a walk in the area revealed a possible cause of the fire in the community of Aspen Woods, near Strathcona Park.

“As I walked along the burn section, there were multiple cigarette butts along the way and any one of those could have started the fire,” she said, noting cigarette butts can smoulder for some time before flames come up. “And with the wind gusts that we’re experiencing, it could have very quickly gotten close to the homes and created a building fire.

“So I urge people, please put your cigarette butts in a proper container, do not throw them into vegetation. Don’t throw them out your vehicle window. That is not okay.”

Fire crews were still on the scene late on Friday, ensuring the flames were all out and investigating the fire.