Renowned N.W.T. artist staying positive despite wildfire burning most of his life's work

It was 5:30 a.m. on Aug. 14 when D'Arcy Moses got the news.

Almost everything he owns, has worked on for more than two decades and used for his work went up in flames when his studio in Enterprise, N.W.T., burned down along with the majority of the small hamlet.

The wildfire that tore through the community is still threatening Hay River, to the north, and Kakisa to the west.

"It's just hard to deal with. I wake up early in the morning and I make a mental inventory of everything I lost because I not only lost my small business, I also lived in my studio, so I lost all of my personal effects," Moses said.

Scenes from Enterprise, N.W.T., show the destruction left by wildfire

1 year ago

Duration 0:46

CBC News drone footage shows the damage left by a wildfire in Enterprise, a small community in the Northwest Territories where an estimated 90 per cent of its structures burned to the ground during a recent wildfire.

Moses, a Dene artist from Pedzéh Kı̨ First Nation, spent more than 25 years working out of that studio and building his reputation as a northern fashion designer. 

Thousands of dollars of equipment, including sewing machines, garments, patterns and even family heirlooms, were lost in the blaze. 

"It was my whole life. It was a collection of work and materials … it's a lot," he said.

"I wish I had been there, I would have rushed in and and taken out things like the patterns and the couture and the garments that are irreplaceable." 

Instead, he was 600 kilometres away in Wrigley, where he's been working — and has shifted his focus on remaining positive and rebuilding what he had.

"I'll start over. I've got — it's all in my head anyway … I've been making patterns for 30 years. I'm a perfectionist, so I can start over," Moses said.

"A lot of people lost a lot more than I did. I'm just grateful that I've had friends and family support me and call me and e-mail me and and and send me their their best wishes." 

The majority of Enterprise — about 90 per cent of it — is now gone.

The hamlet's mayor, Michael St Amour, said last week there are eight houses and three or four businesses left as the fire danger forecast remains extreme for the next few days.