The Crowsnest Fires occurred on August 21, 2003 in Alberta, Canada when a random fire grew out of control, creating a massive 6-km wall of flames up to 50 m high. One resident, Elaine Hruby, was evacuated from her home and watched in amazement from a distance as the enormous flames burned over 20,000 hectares of forest land. While tourism was negatively impacted, other businesses were unaffected and some, like Spray Lake Sawmills, benefited from salvaging burn lumber. The fire created short-term ecological damage but will ultimately result in new plant growth and ecological diversity.