A trapper’s journey to recovery - one year after the fires

By Calli Forbes

Darrin Bourque peers out across what remains of the forest that surrounds his family’s trapline. Scorched trees, reminiscent of giant toothpicks, replace the once dense boreal forest associated with the landscape of northern Alberta.

“We’ve got our own little world back here – it’s just so unreal, how beautiful it was,” Darrin recalls.

This trapline, an area of land used for trapping wildlife for furs, was passed down through Darrin’s family for generations. In fact, the original cabins where his grandfather lived and raised his family still remain just 30 miles south of where Darrin stands.

“We’ve been trapping here for over 100 years, our family,” says Darrin.

“I was raised doing it ever since I was eight years old. My father set traps all along here. Along the creek here we had a little trapline and I was running it myself.”

 Now, standing amongst the burnt rubble, a metal bed frame, the skeleton of an all-terrain vehicle and the odd pot and pan are the only signs of what once was.

“I never dreamed it would come this far that fire,” he says. “It will grow back but it’s pretty devastating.”

Last May’s wildfire had a significant impact on the livelihoods and culture of trappers in the Wood
Buffalo region. The fires destroyed cabins and equipment used for the practice, and also pushed out much of the wildlife from the region.

 “All of our sheds had our traps, our snares, our snare-making tools, our stretchers – that takes a lifetime
of work to be getting those things.”

Through the generosity of Canadians, trappers are receiving financial support from the Red Cross to assist in their recovery. This includes replacing lost snares and traps and purchasing lumber to rebuild cabins. While it can’t substitute the generations of work that his family has put into their trapline, Darrin says this support has encouraged him to take those first steps in the rebuilding process.

“I never expected this. We don’t have insurance out here. Just this little boost, it’s amazing. At least we can start over again and rebuild.”

Darrin says he knows it will take a long time to regain the routine he once had on his trapline as he waits for the vegetation and wildlife to return – he estimates a minimum 5 years at best. Yet just days ago, he spotted coyote and fox tracks on his trapline, a hopeful sight for what the future can bring.
 
“This is our life, our livelihood,” Darrin says.

 “The bottom line is we are back on the land and we aren’t going nowhere.”