Boundary Waters Podcast Ep. 133 – Who are we without trees?
The story of the 2026 canoe season in the Boundary Waters will be marked by wildfire, which forced many travelers to change their trip plans and explore other places in their quest to find a safe place to paddle. Tina Breister and Krystal Westfahl are two paddlers who had planned an extensive, three-week trip in the BWCAW, but had to pivot when their permit was cancelled and the BWCAW, Quetico and Wabakimi Provincial Parks were all closed due to dangerous wildfire conditions.
In this conversation, we hear their story and learn how their alternative trip to the Woodland Caribou Provincial Park in Ontario challenged them and caused them to re-think the focus of future trips. They describe the stark beauty of the park juxtaposed with the repercussions and hard conditions of traveling on a fire-scarred landscape, making them what Tina calls “ironic fire refugees.” It was a difficult trip that left them pondering the question “who are we without trees”?
All photos courtesy of Tina Briester and Krystal Westfahl, 2026.
Boundary Waters Podcast is supported in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
