A little bit of rain isn't enough to change the extreme fire risk in the MD of Willow Creek and that is why they declared a state of emergency yesterday.

To help ensure a wildfire doesn't get started the MD has closed all undeveloped roads to the public.

Reeve Earl Hemmaway says the decision was made this week at a council meeting after meeting with forestry officials.

"If someone is going up there hunting the residents have the right to ask you to leave," said Hemmaway. "We are especially worried about cars and trucks and catalytic converters and stuff like that and people throwing cigarette butts out. We are trying to be proactive instead of reactive."

Forestry officials told council a horse shoe hitting a rock can cause enough of a spark to start a fire right now.

"If something takes off now and we have a west wind blowing and the conditions are just right...I know we got a little rain last night but all we got was just a little taste. It will be dry in here in just another day."

The MD has fought a a lot of big grass fires including one in Nanton in January of 2012 and the Porcupine Hills to Granum in December of 1997.

"It gives the guy who has land adjacent to the undeveloped road allowance, if he sees someone going up there he can say hey look you can't go up there. And if you don't leave we will be phoning our bylaw office and ask you to leave."

 

If you see something we should know about e-mail us at news@highriveronline.com