A seasonal wildfire in August 2003 abruptly changed direction and grew into a massive fire, with flames reaching 50 meters high and releasing energy equivalent to an atomic bomb every 30 minutes. A resident, Elaine Hruby, had to evacuate with little time to gather belongings and drove 20 km away to watch the terrifying fire, which she found mesmerizing. Known as the Crowsnest fire, it burned over 20,000 hectares of forest in 2003 and impacted timber and local businesses, though one mill benefited by using burnt lumber. The fire created ecological diversity and undergrowth, bringing both pros and cons.