A volunteer firefighter was killed and two men trying to beat back flames on their property were injured in wind-whipped wildfires that scorched parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan and forced the evacuation of several communities.
Officials with Cypress County in southeastern Alberta confirmed the death of James Hargrave, 34, who was with the Walsh fire station. He was helping to fight a fierce grass fire Tuesday that had been driven into Saskatchewan by winds gusting to 100 km/h.
香蕉视频直播淗e was an awesome fellow. He was very nice, kind and very considerate of the community and the people around him,香蕉视频直播� said Walsh resident Chris Sauer.
香蕉视频直播淗e ran a big ranch north of Walsh with his wife and four young children. He was just an all-around nice person.香蕉视频直播�
Walsh had a listed population of 60 in the 2016 census. Sauer said everyone knows everybody.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 terrible. It will devastate the community for a while here. He香蕉视频直播檒l surely be missed.香蕉视频直播�
Rick Friesen from Vauxhall, Alta., knew Hargrave when the two served together as delegates with the Alberta Beef Producers.
香蕉视频直播淗e was a great young guy. He was friendly, hard-working and a good family man. It香蕉视频直播檚 a shame what happened to him and I feel for his family.香蕉视频直播�
Related:
RCMP said Cypress County firefighters were assisting Saskatchewan crews when there was a crash around midnight involving a water truck and a pickup truck south of Burstall, Sask.
Police said Hargrave was alone in the water truck and died at the scene. The driver of the pickup truck was not badly hurt.
It wasn香蕉视频直播檛 known if fire or smoke in the area were factors in the accident.
香蕉视频直播淭his tragic loss of life speaks to the danger that this emergency posed and also to the heroism of the volunteers who sacrifice in service of their neighbours,香蕉视频直播� Cpl. Curtis Peters said in a release.
香蕉视频直播淭he RCMP extends its deepest and most sincere condolences to the family of the deceased as well as his friends and colleagues in the Cypress County Fire Department.香蕉视频直播�
The men trying to protect their land near Tompkins, Sask., were seriously injured and had to be transported to hospital in Calgary. The RCMP did not have an update Wednesday on the condition of the two, who are 43 and 27 years old.
The executive director of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency said Hargrave香蕉视频直播檚 death outlines how dangerous grass fires can be.
香蕉视频直播淚t is a very dangerous business that they香蕉视频直播檙e in. Last night香蕉视频直播檚 events are a clear indication of that,香蕉视频直播� said Scott Long.
香蕉视频直播淕rass fires, especially with that kind of wind, move at incredibly fast rates of speed and even professionals find themselves in precarious situations.香蕉视频直播�
On Wednesday evening, provincial officials updated the number of homes lost to 14 香蕉视频直播攖wo in Stobart, four in Gleichen, one in Rockyview County, five in Acadia Valley and two on the Siksika First Nation. They said, however, that could go up as further assessments are done.
All but one of the evacuations ordered during the height of the fires had been lifted by Wednesday.
In Saskatchewan, residents of Leader and Burstall were allowed to return home and the fire near Tompkins was under control, although a farmhouse and barn were lost. There was also a loss of some livestock near Richmound.
However, thousands of Saskatchewan residents were without electricity.
One one local state of emergency remained in effect in Alberta in the Crowsnest Pass area of southwestern Alberta, where 150 people were forced from their homes in Coleman.
Related:
While an evacuation order remained in place Wednesday, the mayor of Crowsnest Pass said things had calmed down somewhat.
香蕉视频直播淭he wind has died down. We香蕉视频直播檝e got helicopters bucketing the area,香蕉视频直播� Mayor Blair Painter said.
香蕉视频直播淲e were able to divert the fire so it hasn香蕉视频直播檛 affected those areas. I香蕉视频直播檓 hoping we香蕉视频直播檙e able to get those people back just as soon as possible.香蕉视频直播�
Painter said the blaze was probably caused by downed power lines as a result of strong winds.
No one was injured and a welcome centre was set up in the nearby town of Pincher Creek, where more than 80 residents had registered.
Painter said it was a wild scene when the fire started.
香蕉视频直播淲e had 130 kilometre-an-hour gusts. Probably about 100 kilometres an hour steady, and then gusts up to 130. Guys were even having a hard time standing up so, yeah, it was pretty scary.香蕉视频直播�
Painter said it didn香蕉视频直播檛 appear any homes burned down. Two barns and two outbuildings were confirmed lost to the fire. A fish hatchery also sustained roof damage from the wind.
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry had 25 wildland firefighters supporting local fire departments. Four helicopters were being deployed.
Related:
香蕉视频直播� Follow @BillGraveland on Twitter
Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
