Has our cabin and everything we own been burnt to a cinder?
(Lou, July 14th)
Much relieved to say not yet. We woke yesterday to a text from a friend in Dawson City. “Fire near or at our property. Forest fire crews in attendance.” Great. Only 7 hours to wait til 8am Yukon time when we can call Dawson Wildfire and get more detail.
Mitts and knickers
Everything we own is in and around the cabin. Over the past five years we’ve scrounged/ begged/ bought second hand/ cheap on ebay a fuck of lot of stuff. If the cabin burnt we’d lose everything from our snow machine, chainsaws and generator to saucepans, mitts and knickers. I tried to do a quick calculation of the cost to replace it all but my brain started steaming. And then, oh yes, there is the house. We’d have to rebuild it.
There is no insurance to cover cabins in the bush.
Other common events that may destroy our home
We’d mentally prepared for being wiped out by flood and ice chunks during spring break up. That’s happened to a few people we know and we live right on the banks of the Yukon. We prepared for bear invasion with bear boards. We’d put a lock on the door to deter any lazy thieves. Not much we could do about determined ones. Not much we can do about fire either, so I suppose we just didn’t think about it.
7 tense hours in London
After 7 tense hours trying to get on with my day but continually thinking of different items that might be smouldering, melting or flaming, we got through to Dawson Wildfire and lovely Ryan who told us this-
It was a lightning strike. It is 3 miles from our cabin on a dome (hill). It is still burning, but winds are blowing it away from our property and rain is forecast. If the wind changes they WILL go and protect our cabin, but could we clear some land for a helicopter pad, please?
“Er.. not from London, no”- but he was very good about it. They’ll find somewhere.
The injustice of Yukon Government Land Tax
I feel a bit of a prick for having so bitterly begrudged paying land tax to the Yukon Government.
“What are we paying $300 tax for! There’s no bin collection, no roads, no fucking bus service!” I had stormed.
There is only this- Wildfire Crew. But worth every bloody penny.
We have to call on Monday, essentially to see which way the wind has blown.
Much relieved to say not yet. We woke yesterday to a text from a friend in Dawson City. “Fire near or at our property. Forest fire crews in attendance.” Great. Only 7 hours to wait til 8am Yukon time when we can call Dawson Wildfire and get more detail.
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| How I'm imagining our property |
Everything we own is in and around the cabin. Over the past five years we’ve scrounged/ begged/ bought second hand/ cheap on ebay a fuck of lot of stuff. If the cabin burnt we’d lose everything from our snow machine, chainsaws and generator to saucepans, mitts and knickers. I tried to do a quick calculation of the cost to replace it all but my brain started steaming. And then, oh yes, there is the house. We’d have to rebuild it.
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| Maybe our cache is still "standing" and we move into that? |
Other common events that may destroy our home
We’d mentally prepared for being wiped out by flood and ice chunks during spring break up. That’s happened to a few people we know and we live right on the banks of the Yukon. We prepared for bear invasion with bear boards. We’d put a lock on the door to deter any lazy thieves. Not much we could do about determined ones. Not much we can do about fire either, so I suppose we just didn’t think about it.
 |
| Cabin crushers -big chunks of ice after Yukon break up flood |
After 7 tense hours trying to get on with my day but continually thinking of different items that might be smouldering, melting or flaming, we got through to Dawson Wildfire and lovely Ryan who told us this-
It was a lightning strike. It is 3 miles from our cabin on a dome (hill). It is still burning, but winds are blowing it away from our property and rain is forecast. If the wind changes they WILL go and protect our cabin, but could we clear some land for a helicopter pad, please?
“Er.. not from London, no”- but he was very good about it. They’ll find somewhere.
The injustice of Yukon Government Land Tax
I feel a bit of a prick for having so bitterly begrudged paying land tax to the Yukon Government.
“What are we paying $300 tax for! There’s no bin collection, no roads, no fucking bus service!” I had stormed.
There is only this- Wildfire Crew. But worth every bloody penny.
 |
| Ryan, all set to save our cabin! |
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