ollowing a series of summer brush fires along the CN Railway tracks in southeast Edmonton, the

company says it is stepping up patrols and inspecting cars for mechanical problems that could
generate sparks.

There were three fires this summer on the grass banks beside the train tracks in the Maple Crest
neighborhood, said Adam Lachacz, who has lived within view of the tracks for six years.

"Thankfully, the Edmonton fire department responded within minutes and they were able to put
them out within five minutes," Lachacz said in an interview with CBC Radio's Edmonton AM.

"But this summer was very wet. There was a lot of rain. And there were three fires."

Lachacz said he suspects the fires near his home were ignited by sparks thrown by trains that
screech through the area several times a day.

Wheels or brakes can give off sparks as trains pass over the tracks, which can ignite dry grasses
or reeds.

Passing trains are a constant worry for residents, Lachacz said.

'Nothing is being done'

"I'm imagining that if the summers get warmer this will happen a lot more," Lachacz said. "I'm
hoping something can be done.

"Right now, nothing is being done to make sure that the grass is watered or cut, or the bushes
trimmed. So there is a lot of kindling that could spark something."

Lachacz isn't the first to signal safety concerns around sparking trains.

 Railway sparks caused massive Timmins fire: MNR

 CN Railway faces 3 lawsuits after fires near tracks in 2016

In 2018, three lawsuits were filed against CN in Manitoba — including a $3.8-million suit from
the province itself — alleging company operations caused fires in the spring of 2016.

The lawsuits relate to a pair of fires, one in Headingley, Man., on April 30, and the other near
Caddy Lake, on May 3, 2016. None of the allegations have been proven in court.

In 2018, CN cut a $62,000 cheque to the City of Winnipeg for the cost of fighting a series of
fires along the railway the company insisted were not caused by its trains.

In 2013, Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources sent a $13 million invoice to CN to cover the
cost of fighting a 40,000-hectare fire that burned between Timmins and Gogama in 2012.
The MNR said its investigation showed the cause of the fire was hot metal fragments from a CN
train that ignited dry grass.

The fire started in May and burned for five months.

 CN pays $62K firefighting bill for fires along railway in May

 Grass fires may have been sparked by train, Winnipeg fire department says

In a statement emailed to CBC News last week, CN said it is working to minimize the risk.

The company said it regularly inspects locomotives and other rail equipment for mechanical
issues that could cause sparking.

"Crews on the trains and working on the tracks remain focused on minimizing the risk of brush
fires along the railway," the statement said.

CN crews in the field are equipped with fire suppression equipment, including water pumps and
foam, the company said. Field staff are trained to monitor passing trains for problems.

The company said it conducted vegetation control along the Edmonton tracks this summer and
will continue to "monitor the situation."

'A worst-case scenario'

Lachacz said he and other residents have lodged numerous complaints with CN but the tracks
remain overgrown with weeds.

He said he fears that one day a brush fire may spread into his densely populated neighbourhood.

"We've reached out a couple of times on the phone," he said. "We've also sent many emails.

"They've continually said that they would have someone take a look. They've also promised that
they would start to maintain those areas but nothing has been done.

"The way the houses are laid out, they are house to house, row on row, with little space between
them. It does not take too much imagination to conjure a worst-case scenario."