What a may we had...

Residing in a northern forest means there's always a risk of forest fires. We had been fortunate for the past 12 years, but this fire season, our luck changed. Nearby lakes were being evacuated, and we realized we might face the same. However, I remained optimistic, believing it wouldn't happen to us. I hoped for rain to resolve the situation, but instead, we experienced extremely hot days and unusually strong winds.

A knock on the door at 2:30 am June 28th informed us it was time to leave immediately. Even though I had planned and packed for this scenario, it still took almost an hour to finish. I kept questioning whether I might need this item or that one. With the dog, parrot and two full vehicles we set off.

The day before our departure, we stood on the dock observing the fire advancing down the lake to the north. There were days when it was dark at noon or the sky had an eerie orange hue.

The first image in this series is the last thing captured by the doorbell camera before its battery died. My sister-in-law and I were glued to the security cameras nonstop for days. When you're evacuated and unable to witness events firsthand, you need a connection for reassurance. My brothers, nephew and a couple neighbours, along with the SPSA wildfire fighters, spent two weeks battling to save the family property. They hauled pumps, laid hoses, kept the pumps running, and installed sprinklers everywhere—doing whatever was necessary. Having experienced two other major fires with my dad, they knew exactly what needed to be done. We deeply appreciate their dedication and effort.

To contain the fire, several fireguards were constructed. Back burns were then carried out to deprive the fire of fuel, preventing it from spreading further. The first picture depicts the fireguard extending down to the lake. The third picture captures the start of the back burn behind our house. Our property is located just to the right of the large garbage can, with a firefighter in the foreground. The fourth picture shows the back burn across the highway from our access road. Picture number five displays the fireguard directly behind the house, illustrating its width with Mallory in the photo. The sixth picture shows the top of another fireguard sloping down to the lake.

Miles of hoses were laid around the property. Picture number 3 depicts the backburn the following day. It was uneven, with both live and burnt trees. I'll be able to see this view from my kitchen window when the deciduous trees shed their leaves.

Picture number one displays the view from my mom's living room window overlooking the lake. It's going to remain black for several years. Walking along the trails out back is quite disheartening due to the sight you encounter. Picture number five illustrates the view from every window in the house. It will take time and effort to clean up the mess. Picture number six shows my grandkids, Sawyer and Frankie, enjoying some tubing time. They visited shortly after we returned from the evacuation.

I am incredibly thankful that our house was spared. Unfortunately, many individuals in northern Saskatchewan lost their homes, cabins, and trailers. My heart goes out to all of them. I don't foresee experiencing another fire this close in our lifetime.

I've temporarily paused my websites for a few weeks to recover and focus on the cleanup. My Wix and Etsy sites remain on a 28-day shipping and handling schedule because of the potential Canada Post strike. Currently, I'm taking a couple of weeks to relax in Fort St. John with Ashley's family and will resume activities at the beginning of July.

Thank you to everyone who expressed concern and care during this challenging period.