Dust Or Smoke?

For the second time in as many days, there were reports of possible smoke in the Silver Star Road area.

The BX-Swan Lake Fire Department checked the latest one out this morning, and found it was coming from a construction site on Jackpine Road.

“They are excavating out there, removing organic material from the construction site. And they’re putting it into trucks, and as it drops into the trucks, it creates this plume of fine dust. It’s not smoke, it’s dust,” says assistant fire chief Steve Hidasi.

Hidasi says the same operation was involved in a similar call Wednesday afternoon.

He says the operation is going to try and minimize the dust.

“They’re currently operating within what’s permitted. They have a water tender on site for their own fire risk.”

However, Hidasi strongly encourages people to call 9-1-1 if they see anything that may be smoke, even if it is from that area, and fire crews will check it out.

“It’s not (the public’s role) to decide if they should or shouldn’t call. Just please do call, regardless of if they think it’s dust or smoke, just call it in,” Hidasi tells Kiss FM.