Ring of fire
A Saskatchewan environment helicopter showed up at some point, but it took some time to find volunteers from the local First Nation as no one really wanted to fly. This was before we had the trained fire suppression crews and before Saskatchewan had a reputation as Canada’s forest fire fighting capital. Once the fire suppression was underway and brought under control, a good 75 per cent of the island had been consumed. I believe the origin of the fire was left to speculation, perhaps a bottle or a piece of glass was magnified by the sun igniting a ground fire, hence the reason for the slow burn in the a.m., or perhaps it was an underground fire which just kept burning after the winters logging operation finished up, which would also account for the slow start. Had it not been for the ice conditions, one may have been able to access the Island early in the day to extinguish the smouldering embers and prevented the subsequent devastation. As it turned out the total western half of the island along with the southern front half were totally destroyed. The western half was all good size white birch, which the following winter we logged for fire wood, but proved to be a waste as the wood turned to mush very quickly. It was also very dirty to handle as the bark was completely burnt black. I had been dragging the trees out with the Massey 44 tractor onto the ice to buck up when the tractor quit, I had no choice but to walk back to the house. When I passed into Johnson’s Bay I very suddenly found myself with my arms spread-eagle on top of the ice – I had plunged into a commercial fishing hole and my arms were the only thing keeping me from going under the water. I must have looked like a beached whale struggling to extract myself out of the water and back onto the ice, which I eventually managed then headed directly for the house. I hadn’t gone far when the wet clothing instantly froze as stiff as a board and I was carrying them. Now, I felt like one of the fellows from the Munsters having to walk in a pronounced stride from within the frozen winter clothing. I eventually finished the trek to the house, although it took awhile to thaw out the clothing enough to shed, then warm up under a hot shower – not an experience I wish to enjoy twice. Around the same period our neighbour, Ray Nelson, was clearing some unwanted debris on his property next door. I just happened along when Ray mentioned clearing the under brush. I must have said let’s burn it and everyone seemed to agree. Matches were struck and a nice little grass fire was under way, very manageable until the wind picked up. Well let me tell you that fire took off so fast it made your head spin. I recall the flames leaping up onto the birch trees and all of us working feverishly to extinguish the flames. Ray was running from one end of the fire to the other yelling some non-decipherable words. His adrenaline was out of control. By the time we regained control, a few trees were killed and you would have thought we just fought the wildest fire Saskatchewan had ever seen. To this day every time I see Ray Nelson he shakes his head and says I can’t believe we put that fire out. |
