The Maple Creek wildfire - Date/Photographer unknown - CBC.

14 March 2012

Role of Passing Train in Wildfire Debated

Maple Creek Saskatchewan - Some are blaming a passing train for a wildfire that hit farm yards north of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan.
 
Maple Creek Mayor Barry Rudd and area resident Susan Siegle think the blaze was sparked by a Canadian Pacific Railway train and was fanned into an inferno by Tuesday's strong winds.
 
But Kevin Hrysak with CPR says they haven't found proof it was their train.
 
He says there was only one CPR train that went through the area, and that was more than two hours before the fire was reported.
 
The provincial fire commissioner says the cause of the fire is still unknown and the investigation will start in the next few days.
 
Hrysak says they've done a mechanical assessment on the train and didn't find anything wrong, but adds the company will comply with further inspections.
 
By Wednesday morning, it appeared that three empty houses were destroyed in the blaze.
 
Siegle said she and her husband have not slept since the fire swept through their ranch, scorching their farmyard.
 
"It has burned a lot of grass, I have no idea how many acres," she said. "All the fences are gone and it came right up to the corner of our house and took out a small deck."
 
Siegle's house survived but she is waiting to hear how her neighbours fared.
 
"We had some really good neighbours that came over, cut fences, and chased (their cattle) out of harm's way, otherwise we probably would have lost a significant number of cows," she said.
 
Rudd believes about five properties in the area suffered damage from the fire.
 
He said fire crews were still on the scene Wednesday putting out flare ups.
 
Nine fire departments from Shaunavon, Gull Lake, Tompkins, Piapot, and Walsh worked through the night to control the fire.
 
Provincial emergency crews from Prince Albert flew into the area to help out.
 
"Local volunteer fire departments can only work so long before they need rest, so this crew comes in to help with mop up operations or to take over," said Saskatchewan fire commission Duane McKay.
 
He also warned anyone in the southwest area against using fire over the next few days.
 
"Our fear right now is that another fire related to this one or an independent fire might spark," he said.