Into the Burn Zone: Did the Wildfire Take Our Trapping Cabin?

We finally made the long 6-hour journey back to northern Alberta after the wildfire that tore through our trapline. The roads were closed for months, and we had no way of knowing what we would find.

Would our cabin — the heart of our trapline and the place we’ve poured so much of ourselves into — still be standing? Or would the fire have taken everything, leaving behind nothing but ashes?

To get the full picture, we also brought a drone to capture the scope of the damage from above. And, as fate would have it, this emotional trip back to the land we love happened to fall on our 50th wedding anniversary.

Along the way, you’ll also see glimpses of northern Alberta’s beauty — the town of Athabasca and the serene Rock Island Lake Provincial Park as we pass through.

This video takes you into the burn zone with us for the very first time, as we see with our own eyes the devastation left behind… and discover the fate of our cabin.

👉 Watch to the end to find out what survived, and what didn’t.
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00:00 - Start
00:06 - Reason for the trip
01:31 - 50th anniversary announcement
01:46 - Trapline before the fire
02:06 - Passing through Athabasca
03:54 - A stop at Rock Island Lake
04:30 - Arriving at the trapline
05:44 - Fallen trees blocking road
06:12 - Rest of the way on foot
07:52 - Aerial views
08:49 - Walking
09:05 - Sending up drone
10:00 - Initial drone view of cabin
11:08 - Walking trail to cabin site
12:23 - State of outhouse
12:40 - State of cabin, ground view
13:35 - Steel targets
13:38 - State of wheelbarrow
13:44 - State of chainsaw mill
14:03 - State of trail camera
14:13 - Tub trailer remains
14:23 - The benefits of burning
15:00 - Aerial views of burnt areas
20:21 - Concluding remarks
22:15 - Next video suggestion