Local fire crews have been busy responding to a number of calls since last Wednesday, and St. Paul Fire Chief Trevor Kotowich is asking residents to be extra cautious when starting fires or when using off-highway vehicles.
The St. Paul department responded to four fire calls in four days, along with assisting in two collisions over the weekend, which included a single vehicle rollover and a pedestrian collision on main street.
“Right through the weekend, the guys have been really busy,” says the fire chief.
As for the fires, “it’s really dry out there . . . we need some moisture now,” says Kotowich, adding, that although there are still some areas with snow on the ground, everything above ground seems to be rather dry.
St. Paul and Mallaig were both called out to assist the Ashmont Fire Department on Friday afternoon when a call came in from the McRae area of a fire at a residence. Kotowich says the call was unique and access to the property was somewhat difficult.
About 40 firefighters in total responded to the call and the initial cause of the fire, which spread to multiple structures and vehicles, is still under investigation, says Kotowich.
“Ashmont did a great job with the manpower they had initially,” says Kotowich, adding, “The event was too large and they did the right thing by calling in for help.” The County of St. Paul was also called to bring in heavy machinery to help with the fire.
St. Paul was also called out to a ditch fire and a pasture fire over the weekend. The causes of the fires are undetermined, but things as simple as a discarded cigarette or an ATV that isn’t properly taken care of can cause a fire in dry conditions, says the chief.
There are a lot of ATV users out right now, he says, adding, he urges owners of ATVS to ensure their machines are running properly and any straw and grass debris is cleared.
Kotowich is realistic about the current conditions, saying, if things don’t improve, he may have to talk with the County of St. Paul about the possibility of a fire ban.
“We hate to put on a fire ban,” says the chief, adding, the decision will ultimately be made by the county.
