It’s been two weeks since the first puffs of smoke were seen in the hills behind Small Point. What started as another call for the fire department in a summer of smoke and flames quickly turned into a devastating inferno that changed our lives, our landscape and our future.
The blessing in this disaster is that no lives were lost. But we have lost how we have lived our lives along the shore we love so much.
Friends and neighbours are dealing with the loss of family homes. Everything that goes into building a life was wiped out by a merciless devil of a hungry wildfire. Outsiders offering thoughts and prayers have no appreciation for the depth of that loss and the painful days ahead as these people figure out a future.
For those of us with houses still standing, we will be going back to a community that will not look and feel the same. Parts of the dreamy landscape of the shore will have the scars of this nightmare. The swimming holes, the trails, and the vistas will not all be what we remember.
As bad as it is, it could have been worse. When the North Shore Volunteer Fire Department suited up and scrambled to the scene of the fire in those first few minutes, they had no way of knowing that was the start of the battle of a lifetime. Long dangerous hours beating back the monster turned to days and now weeks of combat. Here, at the beginning of week three, the fight is not over, and we are not alone.
Fire fighters from our neighbouring communities and afar have been in the middle of this since the beginning, and they will be there with us until the last hot spot is buried for good.
None of this is fair. What started with the disaster of the Adams Cove fire in May continued through the summer. The neighbours who lost homes in that blaze are still working to recover. We’ve all been on edge every time the fire department was called out to reports of smoke and flame every couple of weeks. There were too many fires to be considered a coincidence. This was a pattern. We hope the RCMP’s efforts to solve this will bring some justice and a sense of security.
The town is committed to continue to provide timely updates on the firefighting progress and help connect residents with the agencies that can help with immediate needs during this evacuation period.
Efforts are underway to plan for a return. We expect the provincial government to provide assistance and work to unlock disaster relief from the federal government.
The coming days and weeks will not be easy. Rebuilding homes, livelihoods, and our sense of community will take patience and understanding. This shore has a long history. What we’re living through now will be part of a history that will continue for generations.