Slate_falls_fire

Back to HomeFeature Article - April 19, 2012 Slate Falls fireby Christi Schroeder-Laundrie

On Thursday afternoon of April 5, local residents noticed a small grass fire along Slate Falls Road in the Addington Highlands. Unable to contain it, they called the fire department as the fire placed several residences in danger. High winds fanned the flames, and it spread quickly across the first yard, up over the hill, and roared up to two other residences and along the back of a third. The thick smoke plume carried up more than ten meters in the air. The call was received by the fire department between 1 and 2 p.m. and brought both fire trucks from Denbigh and one from Kaladar-Barrie to the scene. One residence sustained some damage to the siding on the back of their garage, but it and the main structure were saved from the flames. Approx 12 firefighters worked tirelessly all afternoon to control the blaze. Had it not been for one local resident who jumped on a tractor and plowed a long furrow to create a fire break, this fire would have gotten away. It was well after 5 p.m. before the blaze was under control. Several firefighters stayed behind even then to catch any hot spots.

Apparently someone dumping hot ashes outside caused the fire. KBFD Chief Casey Cuddy would like to send a warning to the general public. The nights are still cool enough to warrant some heat, and he is asking residents to take great care in ensuring hot ashes are cold before they are dumped outside. Old grass from last year is dry as tinder, which takes only a small spark to ignite. The flames of this can be carried at speeds faster than a car can travel. Once out of control, even a small fire can blossom into an inferno that would decimate hundreds of acres of bush, including homes and people. Chief Cuddy is imploring “Please, folks, be careful with fire, any fire.”