10/20/2026
On October 19th at 16:14, DFD was toned out to a vehicle fire on Highway 11, north of Davidson, in the southbound lanes.
A total of 12 DFD members responded with E482, T481, E481, R481, and W482. Upon arrival, crews found a truck and trailer loaded with used tires fully involved in fire.
Crews immediately deployed two attack lines from E482 and set up the portable water tank to establish a water supply. T481 began shuttling water from Davidson to the scene to support firefighting operations.
Due to the size and severity of the fire, Highway 11 southbound was closed, and a detour was established to ensure the safety of motorists and emergency personnel. Kenaston Fire Department (KFD) was requested for mutual aid assistance and responded with 11 members and four trucks.
DFD and KFD crews worked side by side, tirelessly battling the fire and working to keep it contained to the trailer. Due to the nature of a tire fire, extinguishment presented significant challenges. Astro Towing was contacted and dispatched to the scene to assist with scene cleanup, gaining access to the trailer, and separating and pulling apart the tires so crews could reach the remaining hot spots and fully extinguish the fire.
Firefighters worked continuously for more than 12 hours to bring this fire under control and ensure it was completely extinguished. Well over 70,000 gallons water, along with firefighting foam, were used throughout the operation.
Once the fire was fully extinguished, KFD members were released from the scene. DFD members remained on scene to assist with traffic control and scene cleanup. After the scene was cleared, DFD returned to the fire hall to begin the extensive process of cleaning and restoring all equipment to operational readiness.
DFD officially returned to service at 8:58am October 20th bringing this demanding 17-hour call to an end.
A SINCERE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED MAKE THIS RESPONSE A SUCCESS.
* To all DFD members: Thank you for your dedication, hard work, professionalism, and commitment throughout this long and challenging incident. Calls like this demand teamwork, determination, and perseverance, and you delivered.
* To Kenaston Fire Department: Thank you for answering our mutual aid request and working alongside us. We are incredibly fortunate to have such an excellent working relationship with our neighbouring department. When the call comes, we know we can count on one another.
* To Randy Shaw and Gust Farms: Thank you for helping haul water to the scene and supporting our firefighting efforts.
* To Astro Towing: Thank you for your assistance with accessing the trailer, separating the tires, and helping with the extensive scene cleanup.
* To the RCMP and EMS: Thank you for your support, coordination, and assistance throughout the incident.
* To everyone who brought food, coffee, and drinking water: Your kindness and support were greatly appreciated by our members, especially during such a long night.
Incidents like this are a reminder that firefighting is about much more than putting water on a fire. It takes teamwork, coordination, mutual aid, community support, and countless hours of hard work behind the scenes to bring an incident to a safe conclusion.
When one department needs help, we stand together. That’s the strength of our fire service family.
