By Spencer Hall
While on my way back from Kinbasket Lake on Saturday afternoon I saw a plume of smoke near Canoe River Forest Road and my heart sank. I had heard thunder earlier that day and assumed the worst.
That fear was compounded when my friend — who had recently been evacuated from Jasper — and I came upon a police car idling in the road facing the smoke.
We asked if the road was blocked and the officer replied that no orders had been given so we were free to drive down the road at our own peril. We decided to risk it (I knew I had to get home and start reporting on the situation) and proceeded to drive through.
We suddenly found ourselves on a road surrounded by flames, the smoke blocking out the sun. Trees were engulfed in flames and in an anxiety-induced haze, I began to consider where my partner and our multiple pets would go if the fire continued to spread.The drive through the fire lasted about 30 seconds and then we emerged on the other side of the blaze.
My hope began to prevail over my fear as I saw a bucket helicopter hitting the fire hard, assisted by numerous members of the local fire department and residents working alongside each other to contain the flames.
When I finally arrived home, my partner and my friend began packing up our belongings in case an alert or order was issued, while I sat in front of my computer on tenterhooks waiting for any kind of news update.
While I would have liked clearer communication around evacuation alerts and orders, I could not be happier with the swift action of firefighters, residents, and multiple levels of government who all worked together to make sure the fire was quickly contained before it had a chance to spread.
Ultimately, the story of the Canoe Road Fire is a success story, one that shows when we all work together, we can triumph over the natural disasters that seem all too common as of late.
Thank you to everyone who responded in their own way — whether you were a firefighter, a resident with a hose or piece of machinery or a member of local government who worked to get necessary resources to where they needed to be to battle the blaze.
