KAMLOOPS, B.C. – On a calm day last August, Paul Devick scanned the mountain ridge near his Heffley Creek ranch in British Columbia’s interior and watched as a column of smoke rose into the sky and spread into a mushroom cloud.
That cloud signalled the beginning of a holocaust called the McLure fire. The result of a carelessly tossed cigarette, it annihilated 65,000 acres of rangeland and timber throughout the Kamloops area.
“There is nothing there for the cattle,” Devick said a year later. “It burned hot right down to the mineral level.”
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He and his brother Art lost 35 percent of their rangeland, 20 kilometres of fences and future income from timber sales.
The Devicks were forced to ship cattle to Alberta and northern Saskatchewan pastures because they did not have enough feed at home. The cattle may not return until 2005.
“Next winter we are facing the same situation,” Devick said.
“We will be short of feed again next year because of the lack of water and the shortness of the range.”
On the other side of the McLure fire near Barriere, B.C., Ludie Proulx crisscrossed his range by helicopter at least six times during the blaze, searching for lost cattle. He and others entered the burning forest on horseback to move their stock to safety. The smoke was so heavy they could barely see in front of them.
“We couldn’t see the cows, the smoke was so damn thick, but we could hear them coughing,” he said.
He lost half his rangeland, 16 cows, 12 calves and one bull. “I never thought I would be alive and see hell,” he said.
The entire area north of Kamloops was engulfed in five major wildfires that raged out of control from the end of July until October. It was the worst fire season in 50 years, burning more than 265,000 acres of forest and rangeland.
Wildfires, prolonged drought and BSE-depressed cattle markets turned the summer of 2003 into a defining event for these ranchers.
“It is not the worst thing that ever happened, it is the worst things that ever happened,” Devick said.
A year later, nature’s colours are black and tan with a tinge of green as trees and reseeded grass attempt to sprout through layers of powdery ash.
Timber companies are cutting down the burned trees and hauling them away for lumber, scarring the hillsides with massive cut blocks. Smaller blackened poles that used to be trees were knocked over and left to rot with whatever other trash survived the blaze.
The cut blocks have been reseeded with grass by helicopter and will be suitable for grazing in 15 years. Until then, however, ranchers will have to search for new leases and pastures further from home.
