By Joel van der Veen
LOREBURN — The latest addition to the Loreburn Volunteer Fire Department was front and centre at a recent fundraising event.
The department recently purchased and outfitted a quick response vehicle, at a cost of $37,000, with support from Enbridge and the Rural Municipality of Loreburn.
The vehicle was on display at a toonie barbecue held April 20 at the fire hall, where over 100 people from Loreburn and district stopped by to check it out and enjoy a quick bite.
Procuring the vehicle was an ongoing project, led by fire chief Steve South, village councillors Grant Abbott, Victor Dutkiewicz and Randy Urlacher, RM employees Dwayne Stamnes and Matt Hauberg, and local resident Ryan Tastad.
The area around Lake Diefenbaker was identified as an “extreme risk” zone by the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (CWFIS) in its April 20 report.
The report also indicated extreme risk across much of southwestern Saskatchewan, while other areas across the province ranged from moderate to high risk.
The CWFIS report is updated on a daily basis with the risk level for each area fluctuating from day to day.
Both local fire chiefs indicated that their departments both have steady, dependable crews of volunteer firefighters who are accustomed to responding to wildfires.
Loreburn fire chief Steve South said his department already responded to one grass fire in late March, sparked by a burning barrel, and put it out in around an hour and a half.
“It didn’t get too bad or anything like that,” he said, adding that prior to that, it had been six months since the department was last called out. “It’s pretty quiet here, compared to some places, I suppose.”
South, who began serving as a volunteer around 2000, said the department tends to be busier in the summer and fall, noting that the recent dry weather will likely play a factor.
On average, he said, they handle a couple of wildfires each year. The department has around 25 volunteers, said South, adding, “We usually have a pretty good turnout.”
For the full story, please see the May 2 edition of The Davidson Leader.