Hay River (July 19/04) - Ray Benoit vows he will fight to protect his cabin at Sandy Lake against any forest fire.

"I'm saving the cabin, I guarantee you," Benoit says.

Sandy Lake cabin owner Ray Benoit. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Sandy Lake cabin owners have been warned that forest fires in Wood Buffalo National Park might head toward the lake, just off Highway 5 about an hour from Hay River.

On Thursday, Benoit and his son Mark were busy watering buildings and trees on their lot and removing dead trees, dry wood and anything else that can burn.

Using his small tractor, Benoit along with RWED widened the four-km fire break behind the 14 cabins. RWED was also to begin work yesterday on a 17-km break from Hwy. 5 to the south and east of Sandy Lake.

RWED has also installed a water line to help cabin owners keep their properties watered.

On July 12, RWED and WBNP officials met with Sandy Lake cabin owners.

They warned that, if a fire approached, there could be a shower of embers over the lake onto the cabins.

Rick Lanoville, an RWED fire behaviour specialist, said this could be a long summer of fires, noting it hasn't been so dry in 50 years. "I have to say the fires of July are the monsters of August."

"Life is too short to panic," said 69-year-old Marlene Ring, who has owned a cabin at Sandy Lake for 24 years.

As of Saturday, a 63,000-hectare fire was 55 km south of Sandy Lake and more than 100 km from Fort Smith. It was growing to the southwest.

"What would really help is a lot of rain," said park spokesperson Mike Keizer.

A newer 4,000-hectare fire is about 35 km south of Sandy Lake.

It is close to Hwy. 5 and vehicle traffic to Fort Smith has been interrupted to allow fire operations to proceed. The highway will be closed between noon to midnight until July 21, and possibly longer.

A 1,200-hectare fire is also burning about two kilometres south of the highway, roughly 80km west of Fort Smith. Backburning has cleared fuel in the path of that blaze, containing it on its Northern edge.

Keizer said the biggest threat from the fires is smoke, which is reaching Fort Smith and Hay River.

On Thursday, Fort Smith Mayor Peter Martselos said the smoke situation had improved dramatically.

The mayor also said the town is not being seriously affected by the daily highway closures.

"Everyone is aware of it, so they make arrangements."

In all, 15 fires were being actively fought in the huge park as of Friday, while three were under control. Lightning started all the fires.

More than 100 people are involved in the fight, along with 13 helicopters and three waterbombers. Meanwhile, 70 fires were burning in the NWT outside of national parks as of Saturday, with eight being fought by fire crews.