A fire in Telkwa has left a local business without a shop and barn.
On the afternoon of July 16, firefighters from both Telkwa and Smithers’ volunteer firefighting departments roared down Tyhee Lake Road toward a plume of smoke that could be smelled throughout the surrounding area.
It would turn out the smoke was coming from the barn at the Tyhee Lake Guest Ranch, a local bed and breakfast owned by Martin and Andrea Hennig.
Before long, extremely hot temperatures saw it spread to the couple’s workshop.
“I’m standing in the rubble right now,” Martin said.
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Though the damage did not spread to the Hennigs’ own residence, where they operate the bed and breakfast portion of their business, he estimates he lost approximately $200,000 in uninsured assets after the two buildings burned down.
He said that, aside from a few blisters he got trying to put the fire out initially there were no injuries, but that the resulting loss of equipment will make operating the ranch portion of his business harder.
“Without a shop, it’s pretty much impossible to run.”
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Hennig adds that, at least in the meantime, he won’t be able to do tasks like haying his property because his baler was destroyed in the fire along with most of his other farm equipment.
He said the whole event feels surreal.
“I’m still trying to come to terms with it.”
According to their website, the Tyhee Lake Guest Ranch has three separate suites available within Martin and Andrea’s log house.
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