Crowsnest Fires

Details August 21, 2003 Seasonal wildfire got out of control Wall of flames stretched 6 km long and 50 m high Produced energy equivalent to an atomic explosion every 30 minutes

August 21, 2003

Seasonal wildfire got out of control

Wall of flames stretched 6 km long and 50 m high

Produced energy equivalent to an atomic explosion every 30 minutes

Resident Evacuations People forced to abandon their homes Example: Elaine Hruby Told to evacuate at 10 am Grabbed her pets and some random possessions All she could do was drive away and watch the fire spread.

People forced to abandon their homes

Example: Elaine Hruby

Told to evacuate at 10 am

Grabbed her pets and some random possessions

All she could do was drive away and watch the fire spread.

Impact 20,000 hectares of forest burned Local tourism hit hard by fires Other local businesses unaffected Dry cleaners, gas stations, restaurants, etc.

20,000 hectares of forest burned

Local tourism hit hard by fires

Other local businesses unaffected

Dry cleaners, gas stations, restaurants, etc.

Spray Lake Sawmills Benefited from the fire Able to salvage burnt lumber 28% quota of salvage rights Amount of actual salvage depends on the extent of the damage and the cost to access debris

Benefited from the fire

Able to salvage burnt lumber

28% quota of salvage rights

Amount of actual salvage depends on the extent of the damage and the cost to access debris

Ecological Impact Large, old forests inhibit undergrowth Fires can have a positive ecological impact New life will eventually grow in the area impacted by the fire Leads to ecological diversity

Large, old forests inhibit undergrowth

Fires can have a positive ecological impact

New life will eventually grow in the area impacted by the fire

Leads to ecological diversity

From this...

To this...

Image Sources Forest Fires [Online Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved Sept. 21, 2009, from filebuzz.com. http://www.filebuzz.com/fileinfo/9829/Forest_Fires.html . Forest Fire Aftermath [Online image]. (n.d.). Retrieved Sept. 21, 2009, from wikipedia.org. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Forest_fire_aftermath.jpg . Moore, William (Photographer). (2009, June 29). [Photograph of forest fire regrowth, Lake Tahoe], [Online image]. Lake Tahoe and Virginia City – opposites attract [Web log message]. Retrieved Sept. 21, 2009, from http://bmoore3photos.blogspot.com/2009/06/lake-tahoe-and-virginia-city-opposites.html . Richard (Photographer). (2009, July 4) Crowsnest Pass Sunset , [Online image]. Some mountains at day’s end [Web log message]. Retrieved Sept. 21, 2009, from http://my.opera.com/musickna/blog/2009/07/04/some-mountains-at-days-end .

Forest Fires [Online Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved Sept. 21, 2009, from filebuzz.com. http://www.filebuzz.com/fileinfo/9829/Forest_Fires.html .

Forest Fire Aftermath [Online image]. (n.d.). Retrieved Sept. 21, 2009, from wikipedia.org. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Forest_fire_aftermath.jpg .

Moore, William (Photographer). (2009, June 29). [Photograph of forest fire regrowth, Lake Tahoe], [Online image]. Lake Tahoe and Virginia City – opposites attract [Web log message]. Retrieved Sept. 21, 2009, from http://bmoore3photos.blogspot.com/2009/06/lake-tahoe-and-virginia-city-opposites.html .

Richard (Photographer). (2009, July 4) Crowsnest Pass Sunset , [Online image]. Some mountains at day’s end [Web log message]. Retrieved Sept. 21, 2009, from http://my.opera.com/musickna/blog/2009/07/04/some-mountains-at-days-end .