Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 524
Update on the fire
May 18 at 9:04 PM
This fire was between Road 117 1/2 W and Road 117W, north of the #1 highway. It started shortly before 2pm on Thursday, May 8 when a tree branch dropped on the hydro line in the southwest corner of the section. Our acreage is on the northeast corner of the section. The fire moved north in the ditch of Road 117 1/2 and then split a few times. The SW wind that day was so strong that it didn't take long for the fire to spread into the pasture south of our home, as well as along the top edge of the valley moving from Road 117 1/2 towards the east, and then also travelling northwards on Road 117 1/2 down into the valley. We are so thankful for all the firetrucks that came from Oak Lake, the RM of Whitehead and Elton/Cornwallis. The City of Brandon firetruck was there briefly until they were called back to Brandon in the midst of stopping the fire as it was spreading into the west ditch of the 117W road. Thankfully there were a few tractors, and one with a water tank on it that was able to keep the fire from spreading northwards up the ditch towards our place and others at the end of our road 117W. The next day the firefighters come back and checked on the area to make sure that the fire was actually out and then put out the two other spots that flared up that day. We are so very thankful and no words can express our gratitude for all the help from the various private people with their equipment to the RMs with their fire equipment for putting out the fire before it got to our acreage and other acreages here along the valley.