It’s been a harrowing experience for the owners of Matt and Janelle’s Nungesser Lake Lodge in Red Lake.
Red Lake Fire #40 has been burning literally in their back yard, causing anxious moments and sleepless nights.
Janelle Kehoe says the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has been instrumental in saving their camp.
Kehoe says if waterbombers didn’t hit the camp when they did, they would have lost everything.
Kehoe notes crews are now on the front line of the blaze closer to Red Lake, so her employees are working 20-hour days putting out spot fires.
She says “We’ve got hoses and pumps and fuel being brought in at all times. Our boys have to maintain pumps and hoses while they (MNRF) aren’t here to ensure that the sprinklers keep going and we keep running hoses to wherever there is spot fires.”
She stresses they haven’t seen anything like this before and they continue to concentrate on saving their property.
All of the guests at the camp were evacuated safely on June 30th to Birch Point Camp and then transported to hotels in Red Lake for lodging.
The blaze is listed at 23,737 hectares and is burning about 40-kilometres north of Red Lake.
More crews and heavy equipment have been assigned to the fire.
To hear more from Janelle Kehoe and the community involvement to help save her camp, visit the Audio link below.
(Pictures: Matt and Janelle’s Nungesser Lake Lodge Facebook Page)
