Session 2

Keynote Address:
Abandoned Gas Wells: Emerging Hazards and Operational Lessons from the Wheatley Incident

The risk of abandoned gas wells is increasing awareness across the province.  Since 2021 the small town of Wheatley in SW Ontario has been battling with a number of abandoned gas wells that have creating highly dangerous conditions.  These events have resulted in the evacuation of large numbers of the community and the longest running fire incident in living memory.  The presentation will examine some of the challenges and the need to find a new way of managing these incidents by partnering with industry.    

Chris Case     

Chatham-Kent Fire Rescue    

Chris Case joined Merseyside Fire Brigade (Liverpool, UK) in 1991 and rose through the ranks to command teams in special operations, operations, fire safety and training. In 2016 he moved to Canada to take on the position of Assistant Chief in Chatham-Kent becoming Fire Chief in 2020.