Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

Alberta ranch destroyed by wildfire

Alberta ranch destroyed by wildfire

The owners of Rocking Heart Ranch barely had time to collect their belongings

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

An Alberta wildfire destroyed a ranch that’s been part of the province’s agricultural community since 1905, in just one day.

An out-of-control wildfire that’s estimated to be 20,000 hectares in size destroyed almost all of Rocking Heart Ranch including the ranch house, barn, arena and one of its feed yards. A farm equipment shop and a few boats surrounded by gravel are still standing.

The ranch has been in the family for more than 100 years and seeing generations of memories destroyed is hard to fathom, says Melody Garner-Skiba, whose parents own and operate the ranch.

“When I came across that hill and I saw our ranch of so many generations burnt to the ground, you can’t imaging the horror you feel when your childhood home and all the work, blood, sweat and tears the generations before you did (is) burnt to the ground,” she told Global News yesterday.

And the family had little time to collect what belongings they could before escaping the fire.

Jim Garner, Melody’s father, was helping a friend when he received word the fire was heading towards their home.

The family had less than half an hour to collect what they could.

“Twenty minutes to leave our ranch,” he told Global News. “We’ve got 50 years of memory there. I finished taking care of my parents in this home, finished raising my children – my grandchildren have all experienced (the ranch). You don’t replace that.”

Somehow, none of the 110 horses on the ranch were hurt during the fire, including four that were left locked in a barn during the rush to leave.

“I’m not a religious man, but something helped us last night,” Jim told CBC News yesterday. “(The horses) have gone through hell and back.”

Rocking Heart Ranch has its colt starting challenge and sale scheduled for this weekend. The family plans to go ahead with the event and use it to celebrate what they have left.

“Due to the fires many have asked if the Colt Starting Challenge is happening. The resounding answer is HELL YA!” someone from the ranch wrote on its Facebook page. “We also want to celebrate the fact that all of our horses and our family are safe and alive. Plus, the best way to start rebuilding is to move forward and this is a great first step.”

Top photo: Rocking Heart Ranch/Facebook


Trending Video

US “Flash Drought” Worst in 133-160 Years + Disease taking a Bite out of US 2025 Corn/Soybean Crops

Video: US “Flash Drought” Worst in 133-160 Years + Disease taking a Bite out of US 2025 Corn/Soybean Crops


A dry August and a “flash drought” in the ECB (Eastern Corn Belt) the driest top 10 to 15 years in 150 to 160 years (Ohio the driest in 133 years) plus disease is taking a bite out of the 2025 U.S. corn and soybean crops.
It's going to be an early harvest. This could be the start of the 89-year drought cycle that may have been delayed until 2026 as La Nina maybe returning.
The USDA September crop report is all about record corn ears and record soybean counts but the October USDA crop report will be about pod and ear weights.
Stats Canada reported higher forecasts for the 2025 Canadian Prairies all wheat and canola crops vs. last year based on satellite imagery but are they overestimating production?
The 2025 Great ON Yield Tour and Quebec crop tours are projecting corn and soybean crops below the 10-year average.
China's Vice Commerce Ministry Li Chenggang visits Washington this week as we continue to connect the dots is a positive sign towards a China/U.S. trade deal. But will U.S. farmers have a winter without China as they buy more soybeans from Uruguay/Argentina? U.S. Northern Plain soybean farmers are seeing red with flat prices at $8.97/bu!
U.S. corn exports on record pace up 99% vs. last year.
Fund short covering continues in corn futures bottom is in!