The Sentinel: A Wildfire Story

Within a relatively short snapshot in time, thirty-four days, on a significant piece of forest land, eighty thousand one hundred and fifty hectares, or close to two hundred thousand acres, a drama unfolds. It is the drama associated with the very real story of wildfire. Antagonists impacted by wildfire include not only the higher species, or so we'd like to see ourselves, but also our codependants we categorize as flora and fauna. A fast moving cold front crosses northeastern Ontario, bringing with it heavy lightning and the promise of wildfire due to extreme drought conditions. An aging trapper spends a last summer in his cabin and struggles to come to terms with the loss of his wife and his own mortality. A sow bear and her cub wander into unfamiliar territory in search of food in order to survive. Ontario's fire staff, faced with the worst fire season they've experienced in a decade, will be pushed to the brink when Wawa fire 43 cannot be contained. And an ancient white pine on a ridge bears witness to events as they unfold, events that may result in devastating consequences for this sentinel of the forest.