This fire near Blackie In March looked like it could be the start of a busy grass fire season, but it didn't turn out that way.

 

This past summer has not been the busiest on record for the High River Fire Department and they're happy with that.

Fire Chief Len Zebedee gives credit to local residents for being careful.

"We've been fairly quiet on the grass fire front over the summer months, even though it's been dry I think people have been very, very cautious out there and we've had very few calls for any wildfires or grass fires over the summer, which has been great," Zebedee says."We've assisted the (Foothills) MD on a few grass fires over the summer months but it certainly hasn't been as many as I've seen in the past, and now that harvest is getting into full swing I know that they'll be busy out there and we're certainly well prepared for that response."

Zebedee says as for in-town calls, they've been fairly minor, some small stove or oven fires or naturals gas leaks and CO detector calls but nothing of the major variety.

He says now that September's here they'll start focusing on inspections and getting ready for fire prevention week in October.

The focus this year is smoke detectors and making sure they're in good working order.