In July 1938, Campbell River was surrounded by raging fire, isolating the town from the rest of the world. The Bloedel fire, commonly known as the Sayward fire, started on July 7 and burned an estimated 76,000 acres of forest over a month, causing widespread destruction and displacing residents from Menzies Bay to Merville. The fire started near Menzies Bay and quickly burned out of control due to the unprecedented dry spell the area had been experiencing. …Strong winds pushed the fire further south towards Campbell River. …An estimated 2,500 men worked to put out the fire at its peak, including loggers and 300 unemployed men from Vancouver. Joining these civilian ranks were the navy crews of the destroyers HMCS Fraser and St. Laurent, fresh from their patrol off the coast of Spain, as well as the minesweeper HMCS Armentieres. Called in by the forestry service, the crew stepped up to help protect both people and lumber from the flames.