Old Ottawa South

Officials Recommend Watering Dry Front Lawns

City and Fire Services officials are recommending that residents water their lawns—particularly those that are near front sidewalks—due to the very dry nature of the grass and trees during the current drought. While it is not known exactly what started the 128 Hopewell house fire last Saturday, it is highly likely that it was a lit and discarded cigarette butt from a passerby that started a grass fire on the front lawn and moved quickly to the house. Both 126 and 128 Hopewell were completely destroyed by the fire. Officials say not to worry about water shortages at this time—it's more important to prevent grass fires. Only a 1/2 inch of water soaking into the front lawn can prevent a lit cigarette from starting a fire that can quickly move underground into a nearby house.