Airdrie Fire Department says a vehicle fire that slowed traffic on Highway 2 earlier this month was most likely caused by the inappropriate discarding of smoking materials, following an investigation by its Fire Prevention Bureau.
The May 13 fire, which backed up evening traffic near Yankee Valley Boulevard, was one of several recent incidents that prompted public questions about an apparent rise in vehicle fires across the region.
Discover Airdrie reached out to several local fire departments for comment on the cause and origin of each reported incident.
In response to a Discover Airdrie question asking whether the department responded to any other vehicle fire calls between May 13 and 21 — including mutual aid requests — Deputy Chief Simon Bradley wrote:
"The vehicle fire on NB HWY 2 South of 40th Avenue on May 13th, 2025 is the only Vehicle Fire that Airdrie Fire Department has be[en] requested to respond to within that timeframe."
"While the physical damage to the vehicle was significant, the most likely cause has been determined as the inappropriate discarding of smoking materials."
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Bradley said Airdrie is not experiencing an unusual spike in these calls.
"While there [is] an element of seasonality to some of the call types that AFD responds to, events such [as] vehicle fires are possible at any time of the year. From a historical perspective, May 2024 for example only had one vehicle fire. We are not seeing a trend that deviates from what we would anticipate for this call type."
"Year to date 2025, AFD has responded to four incidents that are classified as Vehicle Fires. In 2024, the total number of Vehicle Fires for the year was eleven."
Bradley also issued a reminder:
"The Airdrie Fire Department would like to remind our residents that it is important for all smoking materials to be properly extinguished and disposed of in all situations. Proper disposal is important when driving in a vehicle where a lit cigarette tossed from a window has the potential to start fires, including grassfires, especially during periods of dry conditions."
That fire was followed less than 24 hours later by another vehicle blaze in Rocky View County near CrossIron Mills.
The northbound lanes of the QEII, approximately one kilometre north of Stoney Trail, were affected by the May 14 incident. Fire and police were on scene, according to earlier reporting by Discover Airdrie. The vehicle was extinguished and no injuries were reported.
Rocky View County Fire Services provided a written response to Discover Airdrie following publication deadline.
"The incident occurred around 4 p.m., with a single vehicle in the northbound lanes of Hwy 2 between Cross Irons Blvd and Hwy 566," a county official noted. "On arrival the vehicle was fully involved in fire, single occupant with no injuries, fire was extinguished with one engine and a tender crew from Balzac Station 107."
RVC Fire confirmed the cause is "still under investigation."
When asked whether the department had responded to other vehicle fires during the same timeframe, or if current numbers were tracking unusually high, the department said: "Rocky View does see a number of vehicle fires annually, with ebbs and flows relating to the time of year."
The department confirmed one additional vehicle fire response in the Langdon area on May 20.
Two additional vehicle fires were reported in Calgary between May 18 and 21, both of which drew emergency response and temporarily disrupted traffic on major routes.
On May 18, Calgary Fire Department crews responded to a vehicle fire on a ramp linking southbound Metis Trail to westbound Stoney Trail Northeast. Alberta 511 reported the fire at 1:48 p.m.
In an emailed statement to Discover Airdrie, CFD Public Information Officer Carol Henke said the fire was quickly extinguished and no one was found inside the vehicle.
A fire investigator attended the scene.
"It is not being considered suspicious and fire originated in the engine compartment," Henke wrote. "But due to fire damage, [they were] unable to determine exactly which part of the engine was the origin, thus the fire remains undetermined."
Three days later, fire crews were dispatched to a vehicle fire on northbound Deerfoot Trail near 64 Avenue Northeast.
"Fire crews quickly extinguished it and searched the vehicle," Henke wrote. "Nobody was found inside. One occupant had evacuated safely."
"Investigation file has not been complete so I have no info on the origin and cause."
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