There were no injuries after two separate fires occurred in Chestermere this week.
On Tuesday, April 15, fire crews responded to a house fire in the West Creek area.
Joel Fournie, platoon chief with Chestermere Fire Services, said the fire began in the basement along one of the walls.
"We did have extension all the way from the basement up until the second floor of that home, so the damage was quite extensive on the inside of the home."
No one was home at the time, and there were no injuries. However, Fournie noted there were no working smoke detectors in the house.
"Had someone not been home, they would not have been alerted due to the non-working smoke detectors," he said.
The department is asking residents to check their smoke detectors twice a year.
"Smoke detectors are usually only good for seven years," Fournie said, adding it's a good idea to vacuum them occasionally.
"Sometimes dust can send them into a false alarm."
The second fire happened on Wednesday, April 16, when a barn was fully engulfed in flames.
Fournie said no injuries were reported.
"There were occupants in the building. It was a non-energized building, so there were no smoke detectors or anything. It was just a barn," he said.
Since there weren't any hydrants in the area, departments with Rocky View County and Strathmore were there with a water tender truck.
"They come in, connect to our trucks and give us extra water. Then they go and fill up at a nearby hydrant site and shuttle that water back and forth," Fournie explained.
The cause of both fires are under investigation.