Fire of 2012 at Black Bear Island Lodge

Where has the time gone

 

 

It's been over a year.

Where to begin....

Before lightning caused the forest fires.

The end of May 2012 began our hunting & fishing season. Starting with our first week of hunters,  trophy size bears were headed home with hunters.
Not to far into June, Black Bear Island Lodge was surrounded with smoke due to the three forest fires surrounding our property. That didn't stop BBIL nor our guests from moving forward. How many people can say they have photos of themselves fighting the weight of a monster trophy fish with a blazing forest fire behind them as a backdrop?!
The bad news: we had to close camp for two or three days.
The good news: (The Enns' believe that due to the prayers from around the world, and God's grace & mercy) not one lick of flame touched BBIL's property! It definitely was a miracle!!

John H with his trophy color phase bear.

The night of the fire held many lives hostage ranging from the youngest of staff families to the elders. The float plane service that BBIL uses wasn't able to fly to BBIL at one point. They would be too close to the heat from the flames and there were not enough pilots available due to fighting these three long rows of flames (some several miles). Our 'BBIL family' had tried to escape earlier on in the day via boat, but the winds had changed and the fires seemed to die down. At one point we thought the fire-line would be sufficient, so BBIL staff returned to the lodge from up the river.

Then it hit.... the decisions had been made. "EVERYBODY OUT NOW!" The flames started peeking through the trees along our south perimeter, which is where we stored 150 full fuel barrels.  The children were rushed into the boats and last minute mementos tossed in alongside them.

The lodge sits on the left as the fire moves from the west.

 

(We later learned that the smoke along the river had been so bad that those in the boats were not able to pass through narrows due to smoke. Had it not been for a vacant cabin down the lake, all of them would have had to drift in the middle of the lake to keep away from the fire & stay clear of the ever moving smoke - during heavy rain. Thankfully, no one was harmed!)

The flames were deep into the clouds from the south.

Everyone had left Black Bear Island Lodge's property. DJ and Dawn grabbed the last of computer hard drives and quickly taxied approximately a mile away from the lodge before attempting to be airborne. They  assumed there would be nothing standing the following morning.

Last boat to leave the lodge as the fire arrives.

Approximately forty minutes later, a couple of our guides, trained as firefighters, did a quick check on the property grounds and saw the flames came up to the edge of the South side of our property. They said it appeared as if an 'invisible wall' had stopped the flames from blowing any further North (along BBIL's property line).

A wall of fire.

The fire burning from the northwest had totally removed all life from the island that sits approximately 1/4th mile away from that property line.

Northwest fire

The fire west of us had jumped into the trees along the perimeter where our diesel sits.
This was the location that could have breached our property - had our guides Douglas Ratt & George Venne not been there to fight it off. We are so thankful that they came back to  fight it, but even more concerned that they risked their health and lives.

The fire on the west side of the lodge.

Upon returning to Black Bear Island Lodge the following morning, through the rain and wind, DJ and Dawn taxied around the bay to see for the first time that the entire lodge facilities were not only standing, but there was hardly any smoke damage - only on the outside south walls of the guest's cabins! Other than the fire by the diesel (which was on the outside of our property) nothing had been burned.

First view of the lodge after the fire.

The fire the guides put out by the diesel.

  NOTHING on BBIL's property had even been singed!

The only proof of fire was the outside south walls of the guest's cabins which showed smoke residue! Other then the fire by the diesel (which was on the outside of our property) nothing had been burned. NOTHING on BBIL's property had even been singed!
 

Black Bear Island Lodge

Black Bear Island Lodge holds a treasure of fond memories for many of us. That was what drove Douglas & George to go back and fight the fire, that's why people all around the world were praying, that is why.....

Enjoying a campfire.

WE DO WHAT WE DO

                          We are in the business of helping people create memories.

For more information and pictures: WWW.BLACKBEARISLAND.COM