Diamond Valley firefighters got a chance to put their recent training to work over the weekend.

On Saturday, April 27, they responded to a grass fire in Priddis.

The flame was sparked by a campfire from the night prior, which was reignited by strong winds.

According to Diamond Valley's Fire Chief and Director of Public Safety, TJ Moore, even though the homeowners had taken care to extinguish the fire, the strong winds and dry conditions meant it didn't take much to spark a grass fire.

"Unfortunately for these homeowners, it was just a very windy day the following day, and that's something we have to be very cautious of, is with these dry weather and very high wind, it doesn't take anything more than a spark to catch dry grass on fire and the push and spread it quickly."

Fortunately, Diamond Valley fire personnel had just completed a multi-week wildland fire training course just a couple of weeks prior and were well-equipped to 

"The training played perfectly into what we were doing here at this fire with having to extend hose lines on some rough terrain, we had to get pumps out and move water long distance and through trees, as well as using our all-terrain vehicle to get access to the property. It really was a great culmination of all the training we've been doing over a few weeks and it was good practice for everybody to put it into motion," says Moore.

They were the first to arrive at the scene, and were aided by Foothills Firefighters out of Spruce Meadows and Heritage Pointe.

For Moore, this fire was a demonstration of just how serious this wildfire season is.

"Even with the flip-flopping of weather we've had with cold wet weather right back to the dry hot weather we've had, the ground remains very dry. Conditions are extremely dangerous for starting fires. Even with the moisture we've had, it is still very easy for a fire to start and spread with these tinder-dry conditions in both grass and tree areas."

He's reminding anyone who does decide to have a campfire to be extremely thorough when putting it out.

"If you're having a campfire or any sort of outdoor fire, it's important that you do a very thorough job in extinguishing it. So, use a lot of water. A good tip is to stir it to make sure you're getting all of the coals right down to the bottom that are completely wet, and do not leave the fire until it is completely out, it's cool, there's no heat coming from it, and there's nothing the wind can pick up and throw off to nearby grass or trees."

Diamond Valley Fire Rescue posts regular updates on training and responses on their Facebook page.