One Year After the Lac du Bonnet Fire

May 14, 2026, 10:00
CanadaEnvironment

Introduction

One year ago, a big fire happened in Lac du Bonnet on May 13, 2025. Many people lost their homes and some people died.

Main Body

The fire started at 9:30 in the morning. The weather was very hot and dry. The wind was very strong. The fire moved fast. 1,100 people left their homes. Two people, Richard and Sue Nowell, died in the fire. The fire destroyed 28 houses and an old barn. Some people built new houses. Other people did not want to build again. The town fixed the roads and the electricity in July. Now the town wants to be safe. They bought new water tanks and more tools. They hired more workers. They also hired experts to study the fire. Now, workers remove dry plants and trees to stop new fires.

Conclusion

There is no big risk now because there is rain and snow. But the town is still improving its plans.

Learning

🕒 The "Then" vs. "Now" Switch

In this story, we see a clear jump from Past (what happened) to Present (what is happening).

1. The Past (Finished Actions) Look at these words. They all end in -ed or change their shape to show the event is over:

  • happened →\rightarrow happened
  • started →\rightarrow started
  • moved →\rightarrow moved
  • died →\rightarrow died
  • built →\rightarrow build (irregular)

2. The Present (Current State) Now, the story shifts. We use words that describe the town today:

  • wants →\rightarrow wants
  • remove →\rightarrow remove
  • is →\rightarrow is

💡 Simple Rule for A2: If you are talking about a specific date (like May 13), use the -ed form. If you are talking about a general situation today, use the base word (or add an -s for one person/group).

Vocabulary Learning

fire (n.)
a blaze that burns
Example:The fire in the forest spread quickly.
weather (n.)
the state of the atmosphere
Example:The weather was very hot.
wind (n.)
air that moves
Example:The wind was very strong.
homes (n.)
places where people live
Example:Many people lost their homes.
town (n.)
a small city
Example:The town fixed the roads.
water (n.)
liquid used for drinking
Example:They bought new water tanks.
tools (n.)
items used to do work
Example:They bought more tools.
workers (n.)
people who do jobs
Example:They hired more workers.
rain (n.)
water that falls from clouds
Example:There is rain now.
snow (n.)
frozen water that falls
Example:There is snow.
plans (n.)
arrangements for the future
Example:They are improving their plans.