Fire crews from around the region fight fire in 2,500 bales of paper

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Rob McKinley
LLB POST Staff
Jim Young was at work all day and into the night on Tuesday at his Big Jim's Recycling Centre on the western outskirts of Lac La Biche.
It was a long day —but it's when he stepped out for just a few minutes that all hell broke loose.

"I went for a pop right at 8:30," he said, watching from his pickup truck two hours later as fire crews and heavy equipment moved busily around the blazing mound of debris that used to be a compound full of what he said was 2,500 bales of recycled paper.
At 8:45 p.m. Lac La Biche fire crews were arriving, and Young was just returning, to the scene of a blaze that some witnesses say was deliberately started. It was also a blaze that was clearly out of control and threatening a neighbouring motel.

Lac La Biche County spokesperson Shadia Amblie said 108 people staying at the motel were notified of the fire and evacuated from the immediate area.
"The Devon Room in the Bold Center has been converted to a reception centre until the evacuation order is lifted," said Amblie in a press release issued just before 2 a.m. Thursday.

The evacuation order was the second one issued by Lac La Biche County officials in less than four days, as a ruptured natural gas line at a municipally-contracted construction site last Friday afternoon forced a four block area of businesses and residences to be evacuated for about an hour until the line was shut off.
It took much longer than an hour to shut down the fire at the recycling centre, with fire crews from several regional departments working into the early morning to get control of the blaze and snuff out hotspots.

Firefighters concentrated their efforts on keeping the flames and embers from damaging the adjacent motel, which did suffer some damage to its siding from the intense heat shortly after the fire was reported. Firefighters also tried to keep the intense flames away from piles of plastics that were housed within the compound. Several bales containing recyclable plastics did catch fire, posing a brief concern for fire officials. But a light breeze kept any harmful smoke from heading towards a nearby subdivsion and homes along Nashim Drive to the north of the recycling centre.
Fire crews also worked to keep the flames away from several large tractor trailer units that regularly use the adjacent land near the Parkland Motel to park overnight. Included in the vehicles parked on Tuesday night were several vacuum trucks that ended up joining the firefighting fleet as water tanker trucks.
Two track–hoes were also used to help firefighters in the fiery battle which saw an area about half the size of a football field consumed by flames. The machinery dug into the stacks of baled paper, ripping the burning paper into smoldering piles while firefighters poured steady streams of water over the flames from all sides of the blaze.

Along with the evacuation order, roadways adjacent to the recycling centre were closed to traffic, with roadblocks maintained throughout the night by RCMP, municipal peace officers, firefighters and county staff.
After more than seven hours of action on the fire, the area was left a smoldering mess with fire crews remaining on the scene to make sure all hotspots had been extinguished.
"The site is not expected to return to normal until about 8:00 a.m." noted Amblie in the press release.
It was not stated when the evacuation order would remain until.

RCMP were at the scene and interviewed several witnesses.
Still in his truck and watching what he estimated to be about $85,000 worth of recycled paper go up in smoke, Young said he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"I've been here 16 years and nothing like this, ever. Who would do this?" Young asked aloud, seemingly convinced the fire was arson.
The long-time recycling leader in the community said he plans to hire security to monitor his business, but is sad that it has come to that.
"What a waste," he said, shaking his head as the paper he has collected, sorted and bundled went up in smoke.
There was one bright point to the otherwise disastrous evening.
"I'd like you to print in the story that the fire departments, and people who have helped, all of them from all over have done a really great job," he said.
As of 5 a.m., Wednesday, many firefighters and the track-hoe operators were still working to extinguish the blaze, making it an overnight eight-hour shift for many of them.
Fire crews were still on the scene as the debris continued to smolder as of 11 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The Big Jim's Recycling Centre is a drop off and collection point for many forms of recycled materials including paper, cardboard, bottles and cans as well as electronics equipment and used oil.
Amblie says that environmental officials have been notified.
"Alberta Environment and the Provincial Operations Centre have been contacted by the municipality," the press release noted.

Young says he believes his company is responsible for what looks to be an extensive cleanup of his site following the overnight blaze.