It all started on Wednesday May 22, 2002 - a birthday I will never forget! I had gone to Spiritwood that afternoon visiting my Aunt and Uncle. As I left there about 5 o'clock I could see what appeared to be a long, large cloud stretching from north to south. As I neared Shell Lake I could see it was smoke from a forest fire just east of Shell Lake. As I came to within 2 miles from home I was met by a wall of smoke. I went back to Shell Lake to phone home to find out how far east the fire was. It was about 1 mile wide and travelling in a south-westerly direction. No. 3 highway was closed for a short time, so I stayed in town till approximately 7:30, then went by the highway to Mont Nebo then west to get home.

The fire had crossed our land on the north-west corner, threatening alfalfa fields and leafcutter bee huts. A fire guard was cut and had to be patrolled as the fire jumped it at one spot. Harry was told to be prepared to move if the fire got in to the field.

The fire narrowly missed two yard sites (Lockhart and Cox), then destroyed three (Laughren, Todosiev, and Heimbecker) except for the trailer homes before being extinguished close to a fourth yard site. Just to the east of there it continued to burn in a pasture all night before being stopped approximately 3/4 mile north of the highway. We didn't sleep much that night. Four water bombers, helicopters with water buckets, skidders and cats worked to stop the fire. Everything appeared to be under control, but not so.

Thursday morning we saw another fire straight north of our yard site. The wind was much lighter that day so it moved more slowly than the one the day before.

Two water bombers were brought in again and a fire retardant was dropped on the north side of the yard which stopped it there. A fire guard was cur along the east side and the fire continued to the east and south jumping the road before being extinguished just on the south side of the road. Three lakes to the east and fire guards cut between them prevented it from going farther east.

We were told to be ready to move if the wind should get worse so I packed pictures, important papers, a few clothes, and an antique silver tea set. I forgot my history books and recipe books. It was very frightening watching and waiting not knowing if all we would have left were two houses, no other buildings or our wind break. Harry's brother has lived here for 72 years.

The Shell Lake fire truck and volunteer fire fighters were standing by and went into the yard, but had to come back out because of the smoke. The wind suddenly changed to the south-west so cleared the yard of smoke enabling them to go back in and stop any small fire creeping into the yard. However, it got into an old manure pile in the north-east corner of the yard. A fire fighter with a skidder and water tanks worked on it most of Saturday before getting it out.

Most of the fence along the north side of our land was destroyed as was a slab pile, a small amount of lumber and a wagon used to haul logs. We were very lucky and thankful to those who came to help patrol the fire guards and move machinery to the field south of our house. The fire did get into a slough in the north part of our land and fire fighters worked for 3 weeks pumping water into it from another slough. A helicopter with a water bucket and ground crews worked to June 30 dousing hot spots throughout the bush.

The following photos were taken by Iris Miszaniec from her yard.

Photo by Jean Zawada from their yard just south of the town of Shell Lake.

The following photos were taken by Gerald Erickson at the Miszaniec farm.