By Matt Kelly

Firecracker believed to be cause of Meota area fire

Apr 27, 2016 | 7:55 PM

A Wednesday evening fire on Jackfish Lake which scorched tall grass and caused traffic delays is believed to be human-caused.

The Meota Fire Department and the Battlefords RCMP got the call just after 5 p.m. today, April 27, about a grass fire blaze on the first access road to Metinota going north on Highway 4 from the Battlefords. Fire crews controlled and extinguished the fire within the hour, but not before much of the tall yellow grass was blackened and burnt to a crisp.

Const. Laura Cockrum of the Battlefords Rural RCMP was on the scene where she met with the fire department, who told her they believe the fire was started by someone driving by.

“They believe that the fire was started by a firecracker that was tossed into the grassy edge by the dam,” she said.

This fire, along with any other fire, comes with a price according to Cockrum because someone will have to foot the bill of putting it out.

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“There is a cost. The village bills it out and it could be between $1,500 to $2,000 for the fire departments to respond to this type of thing,” she said.

The fire was in a swampy area off the side of a back road next to Jackfish Lake with no buildings around, so Cockrum felt the fire could have been much worse.

“We have a lot of grass fires around the area,” she said. “If it’s in a residential area or if there are homes in the area, it could reach a home and destroy property.”

Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating who started the fire. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Battlefords RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

mkelly@jpbg.ca