Four Winnipeggers who believe they were the first people to report a raging forest fire near the Manitoba-Ontario border are grateful to conservation officers for getting them out of the danger zone.

Cameron Kovachik, 22; Jordan Sawchuk, 21, Dan Shaw, 22 and Garrett Moss, 23 were planning a four-day hike along Manitoba's Mantario Trail. By Thursday — the hottest day Manitoba's seen this season — they hiked 20 kilometres and set up camp along Marion Lake's shores.

Cameron Kovachik's view from Marion Lake, where water bombers collected water to put out the fire as he watched from the other side of the water on Thursday. (Cameron Kovachik)

"It was hot by the time we got there," Sawchuk said.

"It was basically, 'Sit in the water, strip off, try to get as cool as you can.'"

The men saw a tendril of smoke inching up over trees across the lake, near train tracks in an area they'd covered two or three hours before then.

"Within about 20 minutes … we were like, 'Okay, that's not a train. We should probably be calling that in," said Kovachik.

Dan Shaw, left, Garrett Moss, Cameron Kovachik, second from right and Jordan Sawchuk, right, were on a four-day hiking trip when they saw smoke billowing up from trees on the other side of Manitoba's Marion Lake. (Cameron Kovachik)

"We called 911 and reported it around 3:30 p.m. and the first water bomber was there at about 3:50."

Moments after they made the call, the men said flames appeared over the trees about 1.5 kilometres across the lake.

"It was really windy, too. I'm sure that helped to fuel it … it spread relatively quickly," Sawchuk said.

"By the time the water bombers were finished for the night, it had moved several kilometres away. The flames were above the trees, [there was] thick, black smoke. It was pretty crazy."

Sawchuk said he and his friends stayed near the lake, despite having been advised by the 911 operator to distance themselves from the flames by entering the woods.

"We didn't think that was a good idea, to move away from the water into the wilderness where we may not have cell reception; where we couldn't be spotted say, if anything did happen. So, we decided it would be best to stay put," he said.

Officers from Manitoba Natural Resources Officers' Association agreed over the phone, telling the men help would come in the morning.



"It was pretty scary," said Kovachik.

'It was a pretty cool show to see'

Until 8 p.m., the men watched six water bombers and two helicopters battle the rapidly-growing blaze across the lake.

"Every couple minutes a fresh water bomber [came to] scoop up water right in front of us," Sawchuk said.

"It was a pretty cool show to see. It was obviously scary at the same time, but it was cool … How many times are you going to get to see that, right?"

According to Kovachik, they weren't in the direct path of the fire, but the winds were changing on Friday. The officers wanted to rescue them before they might be in immediate danger.



"Right before we went to bed I looked over to where the fire was and I could see the … smoke was glowing orange," Kovachik said.



"I didn't let Jordan and Dan know because I didn't want them to worry."

The men watched the fire burn on the other side of Manitoba's Marion Lake until they were rescued by the Manitoba Natural Resources Officers' Association on Friday. (Cameron Kovachik)

Rescued

Conservation officers Ben Baranowsky and Leanne Becker arrived in a boat at 8 a.m. and the men travelled with them across Marion Lake before portaging into Florence Lake and driving down to access road, passing flames and smoke along the way.

By then, the fire had grown to 750 hectares.

"Just seeing all the trees stripped and all the ash on the ground, occasionally you'd pass by a bunch of fallen trees and they're still on fire or still smoking. So, it was actually pretty spooky," Sawchuk said.

The men described Baranowsky and Becker as professional and knowledgable, saying they knew exactly what to do in the situation.

Both officers also kept in touch with Sawchuk's parents.

"Every hour or so to see if there were updates on the situation," said Sawchuk, whose father has cancer.

"His life is, I guess, in danger almost every day and to have my life … I'm sure it was a pretty scary though for him to be going through that."

Back at home, the men are relieved to be safe.

"[The fire] burned where we were about two or three hours after we were there … We could've been right in the middle of it," Kovachik said.

"It's a scary thought … But, it didn't happen so it's no use fretting now."