On August 21, 2003, a seasonal wildfire in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta abruptly changed direction and grew into a massive blaze. Fueled by hot, dry conditions, the fire sent up a 50-meter tall wall of flames and threw off the energy of an atomic explosion every 30 minutes. One eyewitness, Elaine Hruby, was told to evacuate her home immediately that morning. In a panic, she grabbed a few sentimental items and her pets before driving to safety. From an overlook, she watched in horror as the flames descended onto her community of Hillcrest. The 2003 Crowsnest Fire burned over 20,000 hectares and impacted the local timber industry and tourism, though some businesses like

1. Crowsnest Fires August 2003

2. Crowsnest Fires The Origin of the Fire on Aug. 2l, 2003, a random fire got out of control. what had been a seasonal wildfire abruptly changed direction and transformed into a giant fire. A 6-km wall of flame reached 50 m into the sky, the fire was suddenly whipping over the slopes, throwing off the energy equivalent of a an atomic explosion every 30 minutes.

3. Crowsnest Firesan eye witness account One resident at home that Saturday was Elaine Hruby, whose husband was working that weekend up north in Fort McMurray. At 10 a.m. authorities told her to leave. Immediately. “I didn’t know what to take,” says Hruby, recalling her anxious departure, “You start doing crazy things.”

4. Crowsnest Firesan eye witness account After putting her cat and dog in the car, she grabbed the lamp her husband once used as a miner, her jewelry (but not his) and a little plastic Buddha. Hruby then drove about 20 km west along the valley, sat down on a rock ledge overlooking1,359-m-high Crowsnest Pass and watched the flames veer down on Hillcrest. Despite her horror, she couldn’t stop looking

5. Crowsnest Firesan eye witness account “I felt masochistic, sitting on the outcropping,” Hruby recalls, “But those flames were like a magnet.”

6. Crowsnest Firesthe fallout In 2003 the Crowsnest Fire blaze burned over 20,000 hectares of forest, affecting not only the timber industry, but also local businesses. Tourism was hit hard, but other businesses like local dry cleaners, gas stations, restaurants and office services maintained a steady business.

7. Crowsnest Firesthe fallout Another business that benefited is Spray Lake Sawmills, they were able to use a significant amount of the burnt lumber. With a 28% quota of the annual allowable salvage rights in the area the sawmill will salvage the lumber they can, so that it doesn't go to waste. The salvage efforts will depend upon the amount of root scorch and the cost to pursue the salvage. For example, burnt bark is not good, from a lumber perspective but de-barking the trees will keep the chips clean and reduce the carbon content.

9. A burned area creates ecological diversity and allows for the development of rich undergrowth that wasn’t there before.Negative Over time burned area creates diversity that wasn’t there before Large stands of timber smoother the light and inhibit undergrowth – even though large stands of trees are aesthetically pleasing and profitable for the lumber industry.