By Shania Tabobondung ParrySound.com/ Local Journalism Initiative reporter The forest around Three Mile Lake on Wasauksing First Nation (WFN) had not burned in years. Dead trees stood in waterlogged swamps, pine needles thick on the ground. On the evening of Oct. 8, all of it became fuel — and a small community had less than half an hour of daylight to reach it. The wildland fire was reported to the Wasauksing Fire Department at 6 p.m. Eleven responders from the community mobilized to the location of the fire at Three Mile Lake as soon as they got the page. Will McPherson, WFN fire chief and community emergency management co-ordinator (CEMC) said the blaze was located across from Three Mile Beach and pushing toward Five Mile Bay. Access required a gruelling…
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