It has been a harrowing two weeks for many with connections to wildfires in Manitoba.
In Lac du Bonnet, where a wildfire continues to burn, residents and cottagers have been living in a state of emotional whiplash.
"It’s just been 10 days of emotional highs and lows," says Ken Heinrichs, who owns a cabin in the area.
"You’re thinking, 'OK, this is our only summer place. It’s not our permanent residence.' Then you hear reports of people passing away, and that really hits home."
When word of the fire first started spreading, Heinrichs says there wasn’t much concern.
"Some of the early chatter was that we were OK," he explains.
But as evacuation orders were issued and satellite imagery showed the reaches of the blaze, that sense of safety began to slip away.
"It looked like we were going to be a total loss in our park. Not knowing for a few days—it was really hard to fathom what could be, or what isn’t there anymore."
Eventually, Heinrichs says he received confirmation his area had been spared, thanks to firefighters.
"Our hearts are just filled with gratitude for all the work that they've done and putting their lives at risk," he says, noting with a pending retirement from EG Penner, it would have really changed the scope of his year had something happened to the cabin.
"I'm so glad we can still go out there and enjoy the summer there," he says.
Heinrichs has been working at EG Penner for 47 years, starting in his teens.
"I was part time in Blumenort. Then when the mall was built in 1980, I started full time," he says. "EG Penner is just a fantastic company to work for. If it wasn't a good company, I wouldn't have made it to 47 years."
Despite feeling relieved that he can enjoy time at the cabin in his retirement, there is still a lingering unease about what awaits in the area.
"I don't think it's really going to hit until we drive through," Heinrichs says.