Fire in the Frozen North Trivia Quiz

Answer: It was empty

In the Narrows, a strait near downtown Halifax, SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship carrying explosives, collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo which was empty. The speed of collision was around one knot. The damage caused by the impact itself was not severe, but barrels of benzene were broken spilling solvent onto the deck of the Mont Blanc, which when ignited from sparks caused by the Imo reversing its engines, caused the largest man-made explosion to date, flattening everything within an 800 metre radius, and over 2000 people.

Question compiled by Phoenix Rising team member 1nn1 who, somewhat ironically considering the nature of the question above, was christened Flash by his team mates.

Answer: Copper

The discovery of copper in the late 1890s was huge for Phoenix. The population boomed and, for a time, the city boasted a population of over a thousand people, twenty hotels, its own brewery, and its hockey team nearly qualified for the Stanley Cup. Phoenix even had its own opera house. The end of World War I saw the need for copper diminish and, with it, the price plummeted. Phoenix was reliant solely on copper for its livelihood and it had no "Plan B". Soon the population dwindled, many simply walking out and leaving their possessions behind. By the time the mine closed down in 1919 it had produced in excess of 13 million tonnes of copper.

This question was developed by Phoenix Rising team member pollucci19.

Answer: Employees of the Canadian Pacific Railway

The hot springs had been known to and used by the first people of the region, with the first written record of them in 1859; but it took the gents from the CPR, who were helping build the railway through the area, to earn a little on the side from them. They were clearing land and laying tracks in 1883 and noticed a wisp of steam coming from the ground. They investigated using the trunk of a fallen tree and found the springs, much to their delight. They started charging the equivalent of half a day's wages to bathe there. Their workmates were happy to pay it to be able to relax in the geothermally heated groundwater, whose temperature reaches upwards of 31 degrees (C).

However, the Canadian government disapproved of this entrepreneurial but selfish behaviour, and declared the whole area Canada's first national park in 1885. Today, an entire industry revolves around tourism in the region, including the hot springs, hiking, walking on the local glaciers, snow-related activities and other sight-seeing enterprises, all strictly controlled by Parks Canada regulations.

There is a network of hot springs across the whole area, some much hotter than the one found by the CPR workers. The water is heated by the earth's crust as it makes its way to the surface via the Sulphur Mountain Thrust Fault.

This question was created by Phoenix Rising team member VegemiteKid.

Answer: A narrow section of the Fraser River

Hell's Gate is a sudden narrowing of the Fraser River in Fraser Canyon, BC. The width of the river at this section is only 35 metres (115 ft). The area has been an important fishing spot for First Nations people since the last ice age. Because the river's velocity at this point makes it difficult for salmon to continue their journey upstream, large numbers of salmon can be found at the river's edge where the current is weaker or resting in the back-eddies.

The explorer Simon Fraser, after whom the Fraser River is named, described the area as "a place where no human should venture, for surely these are the gates of Hell."

This question was spawned by Phoenix Rising team member purelyqing.

Answer: Ancient lava flow from a nearby vent

The Dragon's Cone lies 15 km (9 mi) away from where the Dragon's Tongue blocks the Clearwater River. The flow from this cone occurred about 7,500 years ago and blocked the river at that time. Osprey Falls formed at the outlet of the lake where the water goes over the Devil's Tongue. It is only about 3 m (15 ft) high during its highest time but the waterfall is quite wide at over 500 m (1,640 ft).

Interestingly, during the spring months Osprey Falls can almost disappear because the canyon below the lake and falls are narrow and the volume of run-off backs up in the canyon. As the water backs up the falls become shorter and can even disappear depending on the amount of water. Towards the end of summer and into the fall Osprey Falls becomes more visible and pronounced.

This question was created by Phoenix Rising member tazman6619.

Answer: Forest

In northern New Brunswick in October 1825, the Great Miramichi Fire was a massive series of forest fires which flattened both forests and communities including a third of the houses in the capital in Fredericton. However, most of the damage was further north near Newcastle. Over 160 people died and over 16000 km2 of New Brunswick was destroyed.

Question contributed by Phoenix Rising team member 1nn1.

Answer: Flames

The Flames were founded in 1972 in Atlanta, Georgia, but financial woes and other market forces led inevitably to their move to Calgary. The Flames were the second NHL team in Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers having joined the league the year prior. The franchise has enjoyed mixed success over the years, but they managed some strong regular seasons and the occasional foray deeper into the playoffs, taking home their first Stanley Cup in 1988-89.

Calgary owes its popularity as a sporting destination in large part to its proximity to the Canadian Rockies. Indeed, the city hosted the first Canadian Winter Olympics in 1988.

This question was cooked up by Phoenix Rising team member, JCSon.

Answer: Fish marketing

The official cause of the fire was found to be a cigar that had not been properly extinguished, though there were rumours that it had been started by a German arsonist. Seven people were killed in the fire, including the Assistant Clerk of the House of Commons, a policeman, and two women who had tried to retrieve their fur coats.

The Victoria Clock Tower also caught on fire and the bell, which had been striking twelve, fell to the ground as the tower collapsed. The only remaining relic of the tower, the bell was placed in the grounds of the parliament precinct in 2000 after having been restored.

This question was created by Phoenix Rising team member VegemiteKid.

Answer: Dragon Lake

The Red Bluff First Nation are a Dakelh, an indigenous peoples of British Columbia, First Nations government. Their Reserve Community No. 1 and offices are located on the Fraser River about one mile south of Quesnel. The No. 3 Reserve (Dragon Lake) is about three miles east of Quesnel. Dragon Lake is one of the main commercial centres that support the Greater Quesnel area and it comes complete with major supermarkets and shopping centres. However, the main attraction here is fishing. Dragon Lake is described as the "Jewel of the Cariboo Region" and is an excellent spot for fly-fishing. The area is famous for its rainbow trout which thrive and grow fat in the sheltered shoals and weeds.

(Note) The Hungarian Horntail is a fictional "dragon". It was the dragon that Harry Potter was confronted with during the Triwizard Tournament in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire".

This question was developed by Phoenix Rising team member pollucci19.

Answer: 87 vehicle pile-up on the 401 causing a series of fires

On September 3, 1999, on the 401, North America's busiest freeway, dense fog conditions between Windsor and Tilbury resulted in a multiple-vehicle collision. There were 87 vehicles involved causing multiple fires. Eight people were killed in the crash and over forty more were injured. It was one of Canada's worst motor vehicle accidents. The causes were attributed to a failure of fog warning equipment and a semi-trailer hitting a dense fog patch slamming on its brakes causing the semi-trailer behind to jackknife triggering a domino reaction. The heat from the subsequent fires meant the highway had to be repaved in parts as it had melted.

Question contributed by Phoenix Rising team member 1nn1.