On Wednesday afternoon, and overnight, emergency crews in the capital region were called to a number of grass fires in the area, fires that were spread with the help of high winds that buffeted the area.
Just over two kilometres south of Wetaskiwin, two properties have been fenced off after a grass fire tore through Wednesday evening.
Damage was extensive, but for homeowners Cindy and Harry Ekkel, they know it could have been much worse.
“I didn’t expect to find my house standing,” Cindy said, the couple returned to their property to survey the damage. A building connected to their home that housed Cindy’s nail salon was destroyed, but the living space was left standing.
“It was a good feeling.”
Cindy told CTV News she had a client at her home-based business when she smelled smoke.
“There was just smoke billowing from the back, and flames coming out of the garage, and couldn’t get near the house,” Cindy said.
The couple was forced to leave their property while crews battled the flames.
Officials said it’s believed the fire started on another property – the home on that property is believed to be a total loss.
It’s not known what caused the fire, but crews had the upper hand in the area and it was under control in about three hours.
Wind gusts in the area were measured at about 60 kilometres per hour – and they only made matters worse for crews.
“We had embers picked up across, taken across the road, across driveways,” Wetaskiwin Deputy Fire Chief Leigh Sawicki said.
Meanwhile, crews were also dealing with two other fires in Strathcona County – both had RCMP shutting down nearby roadways over visibility issues.
Some buildings were destroyed in those fires – by Thursday, crews remained on both scenes but the fires were considered to be under control.
Farther south, Red Deer County declared a fire ban Thursday afternoon.
Bans are also being considered in Strathcona and Wetaskiwin Counties to prevent any other grass fires.
With files from Dan Grummett
