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A Cautionary Story: Fire

A Cautionary Story: Terri’s Quick Thinking in the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

On May 11, 2026, around the noon hour, Terri was walking on the west side of the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area when she noticed thin smoke rising through the trees.

The Guardians of the Afforestation Area: A Story of Thanks

As she moved closer, she discovered a debris shelter, also known as a brush tipi, built from stacked dead logs and branches arranged in a cone shape, partly supported by a living tree. Inside the structure, a fire had been started and was still active under dry spring conditions.

The situation was immediately concerning. The spring season had left dry grasses, twigs, and fallen leaves highly flammable, and steady winds moving through the forest could easily carry embers into surrounding areas.

Terri attempted to manage and cool the fire, but quickly realized it was spreading into the dry materials of the structure. The combination of wind, dry fuel, and heat made it unsafe to control alone. She made the critical decision to call the Fire Department right away.

Fire crews were able to respond quickly, helping prevent what could have become a fast-moving wildfire. Terri’s actions may have protected people having a healthy lifestyle in the forest, nearby infrastructure including the Canadian National Railway corridor and station area, and surrounding residential communities such as Cedar Villa Estates and Montgomery Place Neighbourhood, as well as all the biodiversity and over 63 species at risk!

Thank you to Terri and the Saskatoon Fire Department!

Fire. File Photo. 2016 Spring Fire Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. Saskatoon, SK CA

A Disaster Averted

Terri’s quick thinking prevented a potential catastrophe. Because of her:

The Forest Users remained safe from a fast-moving blaze.
The Canadian National Railway (CN) station and the trains nearby were protected.
The Hamlet of Cedar Villa Estates and Montgomery Place Neighbourhood were spared from a wildfire that could have been driven straight toward their homes by the strong spring winds.

How These Debris Shelters Form

Debris shelters are built by stacking dead branches and logs into a tipi-like shape, often leaning against a living tree for support.

Starting a fire in a debris shelter and abandoning it is more than just a mistake; it is a threat to the community. 85% of wildfires are caused by humans, and many start exactly like this one. The Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area is loved by so many in our community; it would be devastating to lose this forest to fire! Once a mature urban forest is damaged or destroyed, recovery can take decades—or longer—and in some cases, it can raise difficult questions about future land use and whether pressure for development might follow. Losing our “urban lungs” would change the face of Saskatoon forever.

Please protect our greenspace; it is up to you!

Fire and Structural Hazards

These shelters can be dangerous for several reasons:

The Chimney Effect: The cone shape acts like a chimney, drawing air upward and intensifying fire. One small flame can turn the entire dry shelter into a giant torch in seconds.
The Living Tree: Using a living tree as a support and then lighting a fire against it cooks the cambium (the living tissue under the bark), effectively killing the tree.
Dry branches and logs become highly flammable fuel
Fire can quickly spread through the entire structure
Heat can damage or kill the living tree used for support
The actual structure may be damaging the living tree, causing scars, which invites decay into the living tree which may cause it to fall during the next wind storm

However, in most public natural areas today, intentionally leaving a burning or smouldering structure would be considered unsafe and not permitted, is against city bylaws to have a fire in this greenspace, especially in dry spring conditions with surrounding grasses and trees. Uncontrolled fire in that situation can quickly spread and become a wildfire risk.

In protected or managed ecosystems, any burning of brush piles or greenspace area is normally done only as a planned prescribed burn i.e. by the Meewasin with strict permits, supervision, and firebreaks, not left unattended.

Just as importantly, the structure itself is often unstable.

The Risk of Structural Collapse

These shelters are rarely engineered for safety. They are held up by gravity and friction. Large, heavy logs can randomly collapse without warning. If someone—especially a child—is inside when the structure shifts, they can be pinned or seriously injured by the falling weight.

There have even been documented safety incidents where logs from unstable brush piles or tipi structures have fallen and struck people, causing injury and significant pain. This is one reason land managers often discourage climbing on, entering, or modifying these structures. Because they are not built for stability, they can shift or collapse over time as wood decays, wind moves them, or animals disturb them. Because the logs are not engineered or securely fastened:

Logs can shift or collapse unexpectedly
Gravity, wind, decay, or animal movement can loosen the pile
A sudden collapse can occur without warning

This means that anyone inside or near the structure is at risk of being struck by falling logs or trapped during a collapse. Even without fire, these structures should be treated as physically hazardous and unpredictable.

A Gentle Correction: While “play huts” built by kids, scouts, or hikers are fun to build, many park rangers ask people to dismantle them before they leave. Piling too much heavy wood against a living tree can sometimes damage its bark or compress the soil around its roots, which makes it harder for the tree to “breathe” and take in water.

According to The Guardian, humanity has already wiped out 60% of mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles since 1970. This alarming decline in wildlife populations has led experts to warn that the annihilation of wildlife is now an emergency that threatens civilization itself.

Why the Fire Was So Dangerous

The “Spring Powderkeg” May in Saskatoon is the most dangerous time for forest fires. Even if the ground feels damp in spots, the forest is filled with “fine fuels”—dead grass and brittle branches that haven’t “greened up” yet. Spring conditions in Saskatoon increase fire risk significantly:

Dry fuels: Last year’s grasses and leaves ignite easily
Strong winds: Can carry embers long distances. High spring winds can blow an ember out of a shelter and into dry grass, starting a fire that moves faster than a person can run.
Root Fires: Heat from a campfire can ignite the “duff” (organic soil) and travel underground through the root system. A fire can smolder invisibly for days and erupt long after the site has been abandoned.
Rapid ignition: Dry debris shelters burn quickly
Hidden fire spread: Fire can smoulder in organic material and re-emerge

Even a small fire in these conditions can escalate rapidly.

A Cautionary Lesson

This incident highlights an important safety reality: unattended fire in natural areas is a serious hazard, especially when combined with unstable structures and dry seasonal conditions.

Thank you, Terri. Because you were in the right place at the right time and had the courage to act, our forest, our infrastructure, and our neighbors are safe tonight.

Debris shelters may appear simple or natural, but they can become dangerous both as fire risks and as unstable physical structures. They can also have unintended ecological consequences if built using susceptible tree species like elm.

Thanks to Terri’s awareness and quick decision to call emergency services, a potentially serious situation was brought under control before it could spread. Thank you to the City of Saskatoon Fire Department for your quick action to make sure the fire was out and that there were no smouldering root fires!

Her actions helped protect people, infrastructure, and the surrounding forest ecosystem—and serve as a powerful reminder that careful observation and responsible choices matter in natural spaces.

The Bottom Line: Debris shelters are more than just messy; they are structural hazards, disease spreaders, and fire traps. If you see smoke, follow Terri’s lead: Don’t wait. Call 911. One phone call can prevent a tragedy.

Part SE 23-36-6 – Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area – 241 Township Road 362-A

Part SE 23-36-6 – SW Off-Leash Recreation Area (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) – 355 Township Road 362-A

S ½ 22-36-6 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (West of SW OLRA) – 467 Township Road 362-A

NE 21-36-6 “George Genereux” Afforestation Area – 133 Range Road 3063

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