Forest Fire in Deer Lake threatens community
On Monday, May 12, 2003 the community of Deer Lake was asked to evacuate their homes as the fire threatened to burn a few homes in the area. The fire began early in the morning and burnt until the water bombers were called in late in the afternoon to put out the blaze. For precautionary reasons, the school was also cancelled for the day when the fire was first noticed in the morning.
A great team effort was displayed later that afternoon to save a house from the flames when community members and MNR firefighters stopped the fire from reaching the house. Soon after, the people were informed to evacuate the Deer Lake side of town, when another fire was reported to be closing in.
The water bombers soon arrived and after roughly an hour of dumping water on the fire and surrounding area, the fire was put out, but the community members weren't allowed to go back to their homes until it was safe to. Eventually everyone living on the Deer Lake side of town were sent back to their homes later in the evening.
To view the pictures, check out the photogallery at http://www.deerlake.firstnation.ca