The Okotoks Fire Department dealt with a wide spread variety of calls over the past week.

In the last seven days fire fighters responded to 21 calls.

This includes one grass fire, 13 medical responses, one gas leak, two chemical spills, one motor vehicle accident, one structure fire, the completion of one investigation, and one alarm system activation.

Ken Thevenot, Okotoks Fire Chief, says the warmer temperatures accompanying the official arrival of spring this week have lead to ice chunks beginning to move and separate on the Sheep River.

He says it's prompted another warning for residents to be careful when venturing near the river.

"It can be very deceiving for people if they're around or by the river's edge or on the river at all in certain areas where it's very low. Just be aware when walking on that ice there could be open gaps underneath the ice where it's melted and the water has potentially dropped a little bit."

Thevenot adds with the weather, ice conditions can change rapidly including on storm ponds.

"Just be aware of the ice on the river right now and even the storm ponds, I've talked about that numerous times but storm ponds are always something that's a real concern to us here because of the integrity of the ice and the way it can deteriorate so fast."

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