Cottagers reportedly doused a garage fire at Schist Lake early Monday, the first major structural blaze at cottage country since Flin Flon firefighters were told to stay within city limits.
Flin Flon Fire Chief Jim Petrie said two of his firefighters volunteered to see if they could help with the blaze, but by then it had already been handled by people on scene.
The garage was reportedly destroyed but the flames did not spread to other structures.
Residents living near the garage said cottagers banded together to tackle the blaze, an effort that possibly included water pumps designed for firefighting.
The owner of the garage could not be reached for comment.
Even though Flin Flon firefighters no longer travel to cottage country, some miscommunication saw them deployed anyway.
At 1:35 a.m. Monday, 911 informed the fire department of a blaze at the business owned by the same family that owned the garage.
Firefighters raced to the two locations associated with that business, both of which are within city limits.
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Neither location had a fire. At the second location, firefighters were informed that the blaze was probably at Schist Lake instead.
At that point Petrie, following the decree set by city council, directed his men back to the fire hall.
Later, Petrie said two of his firefighters went to the fire scene on their own time and expense to see if they could help.
It was then that they saw that the garage was destroyed and that the situation had already been handled locally, he said.
“Which was a lucky thing,” Petrie added.
A spokesperson for the 911 call centre in Brandon, which handles Flin Flon emergency calls, was unable to explain the miscommunication on Monday, but agreed to look into the matter this week.
The spokesperson further agreed to investigate whether 911 will still contact the Flin Flon Fire Dept. in the event of blaze at cottage country. Petrie did not know if this is the case.
A spokesperson for the provincial government, which has said it can offer limited, seasonal fire service to cottagers, could not be reached for comment by press time.
This marked the first major structural fire at cottage country since the City of Flin Flon revoked fire protection beyond its own borders on July 1, 2013.
The decision came after cottage association reps and the city were unable to reach a financial agreement.
The city wants every road-accessible cottager to pay $300 a year for the service. Many cottagers find that a hefty price and worry about cost escalation, but others have said they are willing to endure that expense.
Prior to July 1, the city had supplied fire protection to cottagers without asking for direct payment. The city instead billed insurance companies for the cost of each fire, though was often unable to obtain full reimbursement.
Flin Flon firefighters now stay within city limits to battle structural fires, though they still respond to highway accidents beyond city borders when needed.
The eastern boundary of city limits is just shy of a kilometre past Alexander’s Auto Ranch.
After cottage fire service ended, a Bakers Narrows resident told The Reminder that some cottagers were buying large water pumps.
Draw water
In the event of a structural fire, the pumps could be used to draw water from the lake and hopefully douse the flames.
There are manufacturers that produce pumps designed for do-it-yourself fire protection. Cottagers represent a key market for them.
The Ontario-based One Stop Fire Products advertises a “home firefighting pump kit” appropriate for cottages and small homes.
The kit includes a portable high-pressure fire pump, hose and related accessories – “All you have to do is provide fuel and a water supply.” The kits range from $2,095 to $3,475.
For $4,070, the company sells a “Floto-Pump” that “is suitable for properties with needs beyond a basic fire pump.” It can shoot a stream of water over 85 feet.
Not everyone sees such equipment as an adequate replacement for trained firefighters, of course.
Area cottagers have also discussed the feasibility of starting their own fire department, as has been done at the Paint Lake cottage subdivision outside Thompson.
Some still hold out hope that a fire protection deal can in time be reached with Flin Flon, Cranberry Portage or even Creighton.
