This letter is in response to a fire report in the April 23 Forester regarding the small grass fire out behind Otter Lake.

Here are the facts of the day, and you can decide what gets written. The fire started between 9:30 and 10 a.m. This was shortly after some youth from our community set off several fireworks at the same time.

These children were allowed to spend the night unsupervised in a chalet just behind Wee Duck Lake. The fire was easily witnessed by four of us standing approximately one kilometre away. Flames were seen licking up the sides of some evergreens before the fire department arrived.

Ray West was on scene to drive a firefighter up to the chalet. Since there was no road access suitable for the trucks, Mr. West’s four-wheeler was used. The event lasted several hours, involved an MNR scout plane and over half a dozen all-terrain vehicles supplied by the community as well as those of the fire department (who did an excellent job).

It bothers me that because of the citizens involved, the whole thing is downplayed to a few lines. There were three houses and the chalet in danger from the fire, had a wind picked up. Not only was it a long ride into the fire, but they needed the aid of a water pump and water packs to even begin dealing with the fire.

I think that some kind of community service time would be appropriate in this case, not just a small fine.

Chris Mathon,
Huntsville