Conrich Fire Triggers New County–Chestermere Firefighting Pact

A devastating arson fire that destroyed three homes in Conrich has prompted Rocky View County and the City of Chestermere to strike a new agreement aimed at dramatically improving firefighting response times in the hamlet west of Chestermere.
The blaze erupted in the early hours of Oct. 29 on Trinity Road, levelling three properties and damaging two others. While no injuries were reported, homeowners raised urgent concerns about how long it took help to arrive. One resident said it was roughly 30 minutes before Rocky View County crews reached the scene, a delay that quickly became the focus of a tense community town hall the following month.
Those discussions led directly to a new memorandum of understanding between Rocky View County and Chestermere. Under the five-month pilot arrangement, Chestermere firefighters will now be automatically dispatched to Conrich structure fires alongside county crews. Previously, Chestermere units responded only when formally requested.
“Residents in Conrich asked for stronger fire protection, and this agreement delivers an immediate improvement,” said Rocky View County Reeve Sunny Samra. “Automatic dispatch brings help sooner and ensures the community has additional support during the most critical minutes of a fire.”
Chestermere Mayor Shannon Dean said her city was already collaborating closely with the county and welcomed the opportunity to strengthen regional protection.
“We are proud to continue this work as a strong regional partner, ensuring the safety of residents in Chestermere and surrounding Rocky View County,” Dean said.
The agreement comes as both jurisdictions contend with growing call volumes. Rocky View County logged 799 emergency responses in the third quarter of 2024, a nine percent increase over the same period the year before. Nearly three-quarters of those calls required multi-station collaboration.
Calgary Fire Department crews do assist Rocky View County on certain calls, but their agreement is secondary and only activated once county firefighters arrive, assess the scene, and request additional support. The city confirmed there is no automatic aid arrangement with Calgary similar to the one now established with Chestermere. Calgary firefighters have also voiced ongoing concerns about stretched resources as the city’s population continues to grow.
For Conrich residents, the new pact represents the most concrete step taken since October’s fire. Officials say the pilot will run until April, at which point both municipalities will evaluate response data and determine whether the automatic-aid model should become permanent.