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Vol. 19, No. 44, Wednesday, September 25, 2024 www.LamontLeader.com
Bale fire concerns This photo only shows a partial amount of the 20,000 tons of hemp bales currently stored outside the now-closed Canadian Rockies Hemp Corporation facility in Bruderheim. Residents have expressed concerns about a possible risk of fire due to the large amount of bales. Photo: Jana Semeniuk
Hemp plant closure causing concern of fire risk for Bruderheim residents BY JANA SEMENIUK The recent closure of the Canadian Rockies Hemp Corporation (CRHC), which has operated its hemp processing facility out of Bruderheim since 2019, is causing fire risk concerns for the town residents according to town councillor Len Falardeau. Falardeau said the yard where CRHC operated is full of hemp bales that, if ignited, could cause significant damage to the town. “I’ve had a few phone calls already,” said Falardeau at the Sept. 18 council meeting. “I don't know if you're fully all aware, but the hemp plant, at this moment, there's no power on the site. (Residents are) very concerned about (the hemp bales) catching on fire. Is it in receivership? Who's responsible for the hemp plant at this time? If there is a fire there, they have pumps in their ponds, but if they're electric, pumps are not good for nothing, so the liability could fall upon us, and some people in
that area are quite concerned about it.” help alleviate concerns. “Do they have any feet on the Chief Administrative Officer Phyllis Forsyth said the Town does not know ground? Is there anybody looking in on the status of the hemp plant and that a that property like councillor Falardeau plan is being worked on in case of an brought up? There should be a fire watch, even though it is in receiveremergency. “At this time, the Town has not been ship, there should be some kind of a security system put in officially notified of place there,” he said. anybody being in “(In case) peoreceivership. Fire ple should get into chief Moore and that building and myself are also aware somebody gets hurt. of the information It appears to be abanthat's being passed doned. So these are around,” she said. some of the questions “We have been in that maybe we can contact with the com- CAO Phyllis Forsyth address to the ownpany. We are doing our due diligence in ensuring that ers. I'm looking for feet on the ground, everything is ready, if any event, emer- night patrol or whatever.” CAO Forsyth said the town is powgency or disaster, Fire Chief Moore is working on (a) plan. Any costs born to erless to direct what happens on prihaving a fire on the site would be put vate property. “We cannot mandate what happens back onto the property.” Councillor George Campbell ques- on private property. If they have secutioned security measures that could rity that's up to them,” she said.
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... if any event, emergency or disaster, Fire Chief Moore is working on (a) plan.
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“I'm sure they're most probably insured, or a bank is involved in a shape or form. But again, we as the Town of Bruderheim have not received any official notification from anybody other than what we've heard and what you have heard in the community.” Aaron Barr, Chief Executive Officer for the CRHC, told the Lamont Leader in Aug. that equipment failures contributed to the company’s closure July 18, and lack of funding meant it could not regain momentum. He said in a recent text message that, regarding fire risk, ‘Electricity is off but there is power for the fire and alarms’. Currently there are 20,000 tonnes of hemp bales stored outside on the CRHC property. Barr said in an earlier interview that the company may be undergoing an ownership change and he was unsure of what will become of the hemp bales. Barr did not respond to questions around the company’s current status.