Burns Lake

 
I grew up in a small town in Northern BC called Burns Lake.  This little town is quite literally in the middle of nowhere, geographically the center of BC, somewhere in between Prince George and Prince Rupert on the Yellowhead Highway.

For as much as small towns take a lot of flack from those of us who live in the city, Burns Lake is the kind of place that quickly gets under your skin.  It is so incredibly beautiful there, surrounded by three thousand miles of lakes and mountains, it is raw nature at it's finest.  And then there's the people, they are warm and friendly, easy-going and down-to-earth.  Some of my best friends to this day are people that I grew up with in this little town of 3000 people, my home.

It has been seventeen years since I moved to Vancouver from Burns Lake but one thing will never change, I will always consider Burns Lake home.  Last night, tragedy struck my home town and today was filled with conversations with my parents, family and friends who shared my sense of grief for what transpired.

Burns Lake's main industry is logging.  There are two sawmills in town that employ, quite literally, most of the residents and keep the entire economy of the town afloat.  The biggest sawmill, Babine Forest Products, went up in flames last night after a major explosion at the mill site.  What was once the lifeline of the community, is no longer.  The town is in shock, people are devastated.  Almost all of the 25 people on staff last night were injured, some quite seriously, and two people are still not accounted for, presumed dead.

All day, I thought of what had happened and read articles online and watched news reports.  It was strange seeing a few familiar faces on the news talking about the impact that this disaster has had on them.  I was also so encouraged by the outpouring of love from everyone in the community, people rallying around each other in this most difficult time, setting up disaster relief funds and pitching in wherever they could.  It warms my heart to think of the kindness shown during what will likely be known as Burns Lake's darkest hours.

There are many unanswered questions, where are the two men still missing, will they re-build the mill, will the town survive economically?  It's too early to know any of this, but one thing is for sure, this little town in the middle of nowhere has touched the hearts of most everyone in this province today and has captured their thoughts and prayers.