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3TuesdayJuly152014CongratulationsEvanTordiffonyourHighSchoolGraduationLoveDadMomandFamilyYourbusinessinprintAperfectstormofrewindpoorcommunicationContinuedfrompage1.Thedogstreasuredfam-ilypetsandthebasisoftheiroutttingcompanywererun-ningaroundthesmallislandstressedandpanicked.Inthemeletwoofthemperishedinaght.SoonneighboursRogerandLibbyCatlingandRog-ersdaughterandsonWin-nieandGusshowedupintheirboat.Theyhadmadeitacrosstheroughwaterandfoundtheirwayalongtheshoreline.Theysawherontheislandwiththedogsandjoinedher.Olesensaidtheywatchedtheguestcabinburn.Thentheysawthehouseexplodeinareball.Shesaidtheycouldseetheremovingtowardtheirsecondbush-planeaBushHawkwhichwasmooreddowntheshorenearthefuelcache.Theyknewtheyhadtomoveitawaybeforethereignitedthefuelanddestroyedtheplane.IwasabitinshockbythatpointOlesensaid.Workingtogetherwiththreemotorboatstheyfreedtheplaneandmanagedtotowitwiththebiggestboatslowlytoashelteredmooringbesideanothersmallislandawayfromtherenosmallfeatinroughwater.MeanwhileahelicopterwithreghtersdispatchedfromYellowknifearrived.Ithadcreptalongtheshore-linelookingforthemandnallyobservedthefuelcacheputdownthereandsetupaprotectivesprin-klersystem.Olesensaidtheywerenotawareoftheotherbuildingswhichwerenotvisibleinthesmokesoherneighbourboatedovertothemandtoldthemaboutthelargeworkshopstor-ageshedandotherout-buildingsthatmakeupthehomestead.Thefirefight-ersmovedquicklytosetupprotectionforthoseaswell.Iwanttocommendthemontheirpersistenceandbrav-eryOlesensaid.ThelifetheOlesensen-joyedhadbeenasperfectasonecouldwantsituatedinthepristineNorthernCana-dianwildernessnearabeau-tifullittleriverwhereitowsintothepicturesqueEastArmofGreatSlaveLake-alovingfamilyinahomeandbusi-nessbuiltupover27years.Gustingwindscreatedtheinfernothatdestroyedmuchofitameteorologicalphe-nomenoncalledalowleveljetbyforestreghters.ItwasaperfectstormofrewindlocationandIguesspoorcommunicationobservedOlesen.Thelandallaroundusisdevastated.Unlikeanythingweknow.Devastated.Atthispointwearetakingitadayatatimeshesaidemotionally.RebuildingtheirlifeDaveOlesenewhomeassoonasheheardabouttherebutencounteredawallofamesandsmokeandhadtoyaroundbehindthereandcomeinfromtheNorththentaxialongwayacrossalaketogetbacktothehomestead.Theirdaugh-tersAnnikaandLivarrivedbackfromtheircanoetripafewdaysafterthere.Theircanoeingfriendsstayedforawhiletokeepthemcom-panywhichwasablessingtheirmothersaid.Abandoningtheplaceafterthetragiclosswasoutofthequestion.Nowaweeklatertheyhavestartedtoplanhowtorebuildwhattheyoncehad.Thetoolsandgearhavealreadybeenremovedfromthelargeworkshopwhichhasbecometheirtemporarylivingquarters-possiblyforthenexttwoorthreeyears.Plansarebeingmadeforanewguesthouseandtimberframehomeandabargedueinaboutamonthwilllikelybringmaterials.IvegrowntolovethislandOlesensaid.Itsprovidedsucharichandbeautifullifeforus.Itsscarredbeyondbeliefbutitwillquicklyhaveanewface.Icantimagineleav-inghere.TheEastArmreasseenbyKristenOlesenonJune23twoweeksbeforeitengulfedherfamilyhomeandbusiness.OlesenhadmaderepeatedcallstothedepartmentofEnvironmentandNaturalResourcesthedayitcaughtre.PhotocourtesyofKristenOlesenEnvironmentForestFiresDrylightningworsensbadNWTreseasonByDONJAQUETheNWTretotalforthesummerof2014hastopped180withalotmoreprojectedinthecomingdaysasdrylightninggoestoworkontinderfuelsinextremelyhotanddryconditions.Iwouldntbesurprisedtosee50morenewresinthenextfewdaysprojecteddutyofcerRickOlsenattheEnvironmentandNatu-ralResourcesENRFireManagementheadquartersinFortSmithonMonday.Lightningwithverylittlerainisintheforecast.Hesaidanestimated850000hectareshadburnedtodatethehalfwaypointofanormalreseason.ENRrecrewsbolsteredwithcrewsfromthreeotherprovincesaretakingactiononanumberofmonsterres.ManyofthemaregrowingtogetherintomammothrecomplexesOlsensaid.Actiononreswithburn-outsandorheavyequipmentincludeAreonthenorthshoreofGreatSlaveLakethatthreatenedPlummersLodgewasactioned-abackburnwascarriedoutsuccessfullyandcrewsaremoppingthatupActiononareneartheoldPinePointminesiteisunderwayFalaiseLakesouthofFortProvidencewherethereisaresearchcampandcab-insisbeingactionedwithheavyequipmenttostopthespreadThebigrejustsouthofGametiwhereaburn-outwasdoneislookinggoodAtWekweetiaburnoutwasdoneafewdaysagoandthereisnoimmediatethreatatthistimeAbiggrowingrenorthofWhatiwherethereisalodgeandcaribourangeisbeingmonitoredTheReidLakerecom-plexattheendoftheIn-grahamTrailhasbeenac-tionedbutitcouldyetrunsouthandthreatentheareatowardYellowknifewheretherearemultiplecabinsandhomesIntheDehchothereisarenearCheckPointplusdrylightningwithanticipatednewstartupsinthearea.OlsensaidthebigfireburningalongHighway3eastofProvidencecut-tingoffaccesstoYellow-knifeandthreateningthebre-opticcommunicationlinetothecapitalwilltakesometimetoremoveasathreattoroadtrafc.Hesaidtheyarenotabletodoanybackburnsuntilthewindschangebutwillgotoworkonthatreassoonastheyhaveopportunities.Co-operationfromMotherNaturewouldhelphesaid.TrafctoYellowknifewasbackedupovertheweekendsometimesforhoursduetointermittentroadclosuresresultingfromtheKakisafirefillingtheSnowshoeInntocapacityinFortProvi-denceontheweekendwhileresidentsofferedabedforthenighttofriendsandac-quaintanceswhoshowedupattheirdoor.EnvironmentForestFires