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Back to HomeFeature Article - April 5, 2012 Fires spread in dry weatherBy Jeff Green

Burn bans are now in effect for North and Central Frontenac, Addington Highlands and Lanark Highlands as the result of unseasonably warm and dry weather.

Grass fires are common in spring time because previous years’ grasses are dead and dry and new growth has not yet taken hold.

There was a grass fire in Central Frontenac, off the Ducharme Road last weekend, and another at the border between Addington Highlands, Madawaska Highlands and North Frontenac on Monday.

Two serious fires occurred in North Frontenac last month, before the burn ban took effect.

North Frontenac Fire Chief Steve Riddell gave an account of the first one - “Our first major fire of the year occurred on March 20 just south of the village of Ardoch Road. In total four fire stations were called to battle a house fire that quickly spread to a neighbour’s barn, which was being used to store farm equipment inside. After destroying these buildings it quickly spread in the long grass towards other neighbours in the area. Luckily we were able to extinguish this fire before it spread any further; a total of 10 acres burned.”

Riddell said that at one point while fighting the fire as it was spreading through the brush, firefighters became concerned that it would spread to the shores of Malcolm Lake, which is ringed with cottages and permanent dwellings, but in the end they were able to contain it.

A second fire occurred on March 29, when a two-storey house south of Fernleigh burned down.

“One occupant was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation in that fire, which destroyed the home,” said Riddell.

For local volunteer fire crews, the work did not end when the initial fire was out. Because of the dangerous fire conditions, crews had to be extra diligent to make sure no secondary fires erupted in the days following the initial fire. They were on site and in the surrounding areas looking for hot spots and dousing them out.

“It is fortunate that even though we lost two houses at an estimated value of $250,000, there was no loss of life in these two incidents.”

The fire bans will continue in all affected regions until conditions improve.