We’ll be much better prepared this time. A mobile trailer has been bought for use by police and town government, a full evacuation plan including for the elderly and disabled, an alert system has been put into effect, everybody in town will have “go bags” and valuables by their front door, and a lot of fire breaks were created last Fall.

I feel much more confident this time around. But still, the very real possibility of losing our home is terrifying, no matter how prepared we are.

Please god, no. Forest fires have burned thousands of hectares and towns around us, but we’ve so far escaped the flames, even though we’ve had plenty of smoke and ash.

If it’s another hot, dry summer, I can’t see us escaping the flames anymore…