Thursday was the hottest day in Winnipeg since last summer – and it was even hotter for the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS).

Firefighters were kept busy battling two large grass fires throughout the day.

The first, in Charleswood, broke out near Municipal Road and Rannock Avenue shortly after 1:30 in the afternoon.

Crews had the blaze, which measured 45 metres in diameter, under control by 3 p.m.

Early in the evening, a grass fire measuring 20 by 200 metres broke out in the 800 block of Allegheny Drive in Fort Richmond.

Firefighters used special wildland-urban interface equipment, including a drone, to attack both fires and protect the nearby houses.

There were no injuries in either incident.

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Assistant WFPS fire chief Mark Reshaur told 680 CJOB that Winnipeggers should be mindful of the potential for grass and brush fires at this time of year.

“We just want people to be aware that right now, things are drying off very quickly and with the wind expected over the weekend … today it’s going to be gusting to 60, and we’re going to be looking at 40km/h winds this weekend.

“The hazard of grass and brush fires and the risk that they pose is consistently getting more serious and warrants consideration by everyone.”

Reshaur said the grass fire situation has not reached the level it did last summer, where WFPS crews were swamped throughout May and well into June.

“We actually hit the point where we had to declare a fire ban,” he said. “We haven’t hit that point this year, but we want people to start thinking about it now. We want people to start taking precautions.”

The city is reminding Winnipeggers to clean up brush, leaves, grass and debris on their properties and to water plants and vegetation near their homes.

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