In 2024, our beekeeping season began with determination and cautious optimism. Starting from scratch once again, we purchased a few bee packages. On May 9 we headed for our apiary in the Northern Rockies. But as fate would have it, the day we arrived, Fort Nelson was under an evacuation order due to a rapidly approaching wildfire. We managed to hive the nucleus colonies in a rush before being forced to leave the area. With the fire advancing and no chance to return, our bees were left to manage the season entirely on their own.

The fire, sparked on May 10—likely by a tree falling on power lines—spread quickly, consuming over 12,000 hectares and forcing nearly 4,700 people, including local First Nations communities, to evacuate. Our apiary escaped the flames, but heavy smoke, extreme heat, and the lack of regular care left the colonies in a precarious state. By September, three hives were strong enough to be set up for winter. We held onto hope, thinking perhaps one or two would survive. But when we returned in May 2025, we found our bee yard silent—none of the colonies had made it through. It was a heartbreaking end to a season marked by fire, distance, and uncertainty.