Calgary firefighters battle flames and cold in Auburn Bay

Calgary firefighters had to battle both a blazing house fire and some of the coldest temperatures of the winter on Thursday afternoon in the southeastern community of Auburn Bay.

Carol Henke, the public information officer with the Calgary Fire Department, said calls about the fire started coming in around 4 p.m. When crews arrived on the scene, one house was fully engulfed in flames, she said.

"The fire was quickly upgraded to a second and a third alarm to bring additional resources, especially due to the extreme cold we're experiencing," Henke said.

"We want to be able to rotate crews through so that they can warm up, rehab, and make sure that they're good to get back to their duties again."

While the fire was put under control quickly, hotspots were still keeping firefighters busy into the evening.

Henke said there were no injuries as a result of the fire, but there was significant property damage.

"The tragic part is one home is completely destroyed and another home is significantly damaged," she said.

When asked about the particular challenges that come with fighting fires in extremely cold weather, Henke said the fire crews prepare well in advance. She said gear is sprayed with antifreeze at the beginning of every shift, pumps on the trucks are kept running to keep the water circulating, and multi-layered clothing is worn.

"It's not pleasant, but our fire crews always do the best that they can and they did an amazing job," she said.

The cause of the fire has not been identified, but Henke said fire investigators were on the scene Thursday evening. 

She asked members of the public with photos or video of the fire taken before fire crews arrived to please send them to the department.