Provincial Responsibility for Costs Incurred Fighting Fires on Grazing Leases

Sustainable Resource Development owns and has access through private contractors to equipment and fire fighting resources to control or extinguish fires in remote and topographically challenging terrain. Grazing leases are frequently located on lands in areas with limited access and that cannot be reached effectively with traditional municipal fire fighting equipment. (ie pumper trucks) As Sustainable Resource Development is much better equipped to attack and control fires in these locations the Forest and Prairie Protection Act, Section 7(1) should exclude fighting and controlling fires on occupied public lands from the responsibility of the municipal district. Eliminating areas that cannot be effectively served by municipal fire fighting services should provide for a more efficient response as well as the steps to request mutual aid and get the necessary approvals in place is eliminated from the steps required before fire suppression can start.