The Fire Chief for Hanover says he would welcome rain this weekend.
    
Paul Wiebe says right now they are not overly concerned with the wildfire threat in the municipality. However, he notes it is spring and when there is not a significant amount of rain, the situation can turn in a hurry. 

"There's a lot of fuel loads in our bushes and on our fields," he explains. "And in and around our rural residential areas."

Wiebe says if it continues to dry and we do not receive rain, there will be an elevated fire risk in Hanover. 

As of Friday morning, Wiebe says his firefighters have yet to be called to a grass fire this spring. But, with a dry weekend, he notes that could all change. 

According to Wiebe, once some green grass starts popping through it certainly raises the comfort level, even though it does not totally diminish the fire risk. He notes this is the time of year when people are out cleaning their yards and fields and for many that means getting rid of the debris by fire.

"That always adds to the risk," he acknowledges. "Fire can get out of control in a hurry. So, for that reason, we don't allow burning in our residential communities or in our rural residential areas."

He adds the burning of grass and leaves is prohibited in town because it can also create poor air quality for those suffering from breathing issues. 

For those looking to get rid of grass or leaves, Wiebe suggests bringing the material to the Steinbach landfill. 

If you must start a fire, Wiebe urges you to be careful and not to wait until it is too late to call 911. He notes if your fire starts burning out of control, the sooner the fire department arrives, the better the chance of preventing major damage. 

Environment Canada continues to call for rain on both Sunday and Monday.

 

With files from Kenton Dyck