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Enterprise to get firebreaks Mayor/fire chief says wildfire will push project along
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, July 29, 2013
ENTERPRISE
A small forest fire south of Enterprise has prompted the hamlet to move a bit faster to create firebreaks to help protect the community.
"We were going to do it, but we're going to push it along fast now," said Mayor Mike St. Amour, who is also the community's fire chief.
St. Amour said he hopes the firebreak will be created before the fall. A firebreak is a gap of cleared land or combustible material.
"It's been on the capital plan for a few years and we're going to act on it," he said.
Council had allocated $25,000 a year for the next five years for the project.
However, at a recent meeting - prior to the fire - council passed a motion to lump the funding into this year and get the project done.
"The hamlet is committing $125,000," said St. Amour, although he is hoping the project can be done for less.
The plan is to create two firebreaks just south of the community. One would be about one-kilometre long and the other would be about two-kilometres long.
The forest fire, located about six kilometres south of Enterprise, was just two hectares in size as of July 25.
"That fire was started by lightning," said Judy McLinton, a spokesperson for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR).
The fire was noticed on July 21, and is believed to have started on the weekend of July 20.
While it was only a small fire, McLinton said it was challenging because of rocky land, hilly terrain, and strong southerly winds.
She added the floor of the forest is duff, which makes it harder to put out the fire.
"It gets in there and it's hard to get at it because it can burn deep into that duff," she said.
Two ENR crews were fighting the fire on July 25 and another crew was scheduled to join the fight on July 26. A helicopter was also helping out with the effort.
On July 25, McLinton said it was hoped to have the fire out by this past weekend.
St. Amour said residents of Enterprise saw a plume of smoke from the fire on July 21.
As fire chief, he sounded the alarm for volunteer firefighters in Enterprise.
"I called everybody in and I put them on standby for a couple of hours and then (ENR) told us to stand down," St. Amour said. "It was under control."
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