On August 21, 2003, a seasonal wildfire in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta abruptly changed direction due to shifting winds, growing into a massive blaze. The wall of flames reached 50 meters high and threw off energy equivalent to an atomic explosion every 30 minutes. Local resident Elaine Hruby was told to evacuate immediately. Though the fire burned over 20,000 hectares and impacted timber and tourism, one sawmill benefited by using burnt lumber. Ecologically, fires create diversity over time as rich undergrowth develops in burned areas.

1. CROWSNEST FIRE OF 2003 Leanne Starkey

2. On August 21, 2003, a seasonal wildfire spread out of control after winds abruptly changed direction and transformed it into a giant blaze.

3. A 6-km wall of flame reached 50 m into the sky, throwing off the energy equivalent of a an atomic explosion every 30 minutes.

4. “ I didn’t know what to take,” says Hruby, recalling her anxious departure. “You start doing crazy things.” She drove about 20 km west along the valley, sat down on a rock ledge overlooking 1,359-m-high Crowsnest Pass and watched the flames veer down on Hillcrest. One resident at home that Saturday was Elaine Hruby. At 10 a.m. authorities told her to leave immediately.

5. However, one business that did benefit was the Spray Lake Sawmills. They used a significant amount of the burnt lumber by de-barking the trees. This keeps the chips clean and reduces the carbon content. This blaze burned over 20,000 hectares of forest, affecting not only the timber and tourism industry, but also local businesses.

6. There are also ecological benefits that occur after a fire. Over time burned area creates diversity and allows for the development of rich undergrowth that wasn’t there before.