Last week the RM of Maple Creek announced that it was putting a fire ban in place due to scientifically dry conditions.

Over the weekend that fire ban showed it was needed as wildfires raged around the area. The RM joined five other RM's and four communities to place a fire ban in the province.

Louis Cherpin, the RM of Swift Current Fire Chief, said that the RM of Swift Current wouldn't be joining the list, at least in the next week or so.

"Right now, the RM of Swift Current and area is getting dryer every day we don't see any moisture," he stated. "The seven or eight inches we got in June was nice, but it is definitely drying up out there. I think it will be okay in the RM of Swift Current at least for the next week. We will see what happens beginning of August to see whether we look at putting a fire ban on again as well."

Cherpin said that some RMs are reluctant to put fire bans in place.

"There's a fine balance between allowing our rural partners to burn fire pits, have outdoor fires and also saving potential disasters from happening," he said. "There is some reluctant out there, but most farmers in our area and in any are really aware of the fire potential, and they are doing a really good job knowing that when it's dry, not to start fires."

Cherpin said farmers and ranchers are a big help and both preventing grass fires from starting and helping when they do.

"You can see them in the fields now when they are out doing fieldwork. They bring their water tank in case there is a fire. They have become quite fire aware and are a really good source of any rural fire department to count on. They get there quick and fast with lots of water. We do appreciate their help, bringing water and then power to certain situations."'

He added that the best times for fires to start to spread it during the 'crossover' period from around 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

The crossover period refers to when the temperature in degrees Celsius is more than the relative humidity expressed as a percentage.