Alta. firefighters pull service from highway

A second volunteer fire department is no longer responding to crashes on Highway 63, arguably the provinces busiest and most dangerous highway.

The so-called "death highway" connects the oilsands centre of Fort McMurray in northeastern Alberta to Edmonton and the rest of the province.

The Plamondon fire department decided in November it would no longer provide emergency service.

The departments 16 volunteer firefighters are overworked, said Mitch Newton, manager of protective services for Lac La Biche County.

"The lack of volunteers and hours are really starting to show a toll on all of us," he said.

The Wandering River fire department stopped responding to highway crashes earlier in the year. That meant Plamondon firefighters spent more time responding to crashes this winter on the 150-kilometre stretchof highway up to three times more, said Newton.

"Without support from neighbouring communities, they can no longer be sole coverage for the highway," he said. "It would eventually lead to burnout of our members."

The withdrawal of services means the remaining fire departments, such as Grassland and Athabasca,will have to spend more time and resources responding to highway emergencies, he said.

The province has been asked to find a solution.