Bradley Doering helps Jeremy Keuhl apply water to the line where the fire reached. They are pictured doing a second pass of the perimeter to ensure it’s extinguished.

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North Algona Wilberforce – Fire Chief Kevin Champ of the North Algona Wilberforce (NAW) Fire Department is urging landowners to handle the upcoming spring season with care as a compromised open burning restriction has led to the first bushfire of the year.

NAW firefighters responded to a call for a grass fire at a Grist Mill Road ranch just before noon on Monday, after brush burning in a steel drum started the fire. The flames spread across the yard and reached the property’s lower treeline where it was stopped by a marshy area.

Chief Champ said the situation could’ve been much worse if luck wasn’t on their side. The ground was still wet from the heavy rain just two days before and any dry grass still caught in the blaze was mostly extinguished by the time help arrived. He added all outdoor burning within NAW is subject to by-law restrictions and requires a permit.

“All burning (requiring a permit or not) must be supervised at all times by a responsible person who has access to equipment necessary to extinguish the fire,” he told the Leader by email. “Remember that early spring, between snow melt and when vegetation ‘greens up’, is our busiest time because the cured (dead) grasses dry quickly, ignite easily and spread quickly.”

Ten responding firefighters used a tanker and forestry hoses. On scene, they circled the burnt area and put out the hot spots before filling the burning drum with water. While he described the incident as not particularly hazardous, he urged residents to follow the regulations set out by the township.

He said day-time burning after April 1st is forbidden as the air’s relative humidity is higher in the evening. Chief Champ said all permitted burning must be done between two hours before sunset and two hours before sunrise.

All township fire permits are free and available at www.naw.burnpermits.com. Prior to any intended burn, permit holders must call the activation number which will automatically notify the fire department. The only exception to the requirement is for campfires restricted to a two-foot area.