Jump site spared from southern flames

Page

One of seven large fires burning in Alberta last December came within three kilometres of the Peigan First Nation town-site in southern Alberta, and within two kilometres of the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump World Historical Site.

The fire, measuring more than 20 km. in diameter ran through dried grass fields from the foothills west of the First Nation and the nearby historical site.

Members of the 20 member Peigan fire department worked with neighboring communities to battle the fast moving wall of fire. The area's communities work under a mutual aid program where all resources are shared to assist with fire prevention.

Although several surrounding communities were placed on evacuation alert, the Peigan reserve, with almost 3,000 members, was not said to be in harm's way.

Things were a little more tense at the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump site, just north of the Peigan reserve, 16 km. west of Fort McLeod.

Shirley Bruisedhead, the education program director at the site, said the flames and smoke were visible in the grasslands just north of the site.

""It came within a mile and a half of us," she said.

Although there were a lot of community volunteers helping to keep the flames at bay, Bruisedhead said she was still praying the direction of the fire wouldn't turn to the Peigan reserve or the historic site.

"We just prayed really hard that the wind wouldn't shift," she said.

Strong winds kept firefighters busy trying to contain the blaze. The flames came from the west and the winds were blowing it to the northeast, narrowly skirting the site and the Peigan First Nation.

If the fire had changed direction, it would have had an open run to the site, which dates back 11,000 years and the interpretive centre which is only 10-years-old.

"There would have been nothing to stop it," said Bruisedhead. "If the wind had shifted, (the fire) would have gone right over us."

On Sunday, Dec. 14, heavy smoke forced the temporary closure of the historic site, said Bruisedhead. The site was open the next day, but all eyes still looked to the north.

Bruised head said the tireless work of the Peigan community and their fire department, ranchers, industry workers and especially members of the neighboring Spring Point Hutterite Colony should be credited with keeping the area safe from the flames.

"Just about anybody you could name from around here was out there helping," she said.

As of Dec. 19, the fire was considered held by Alberta's Environmental Protection department. Snowfall on Dec. 18 helped to stifle much of the fire's power. The fire affected almost 22,000 ha. of land. Porvincial fire officials report that 4,000 ha of the total affected area was acturlly burned.

Fire investigators are investigating the cause of the fire.

The six other fires are all under control. Investigators are also looking into what sparked those blazes. At least one is believe to have started when trees fell onto power lines.

The total area burined withing the province's fire protrection area was more than 3,000 hectares.

December grass fires are very rare in Alberta. Dry grassland caused by the lack of snow and unseasonable temperatures throughout the province helped create the higher fire hazards.