On February 10, 2026, the peaceful mountain town of Tumbler Ridge, BC was shattered by the worst school shooting in Canadian history. Eight lives were taken, two more were critically injured, and a community of 2,500 people was thrust into grief, shock, and global attention.
In this episode of the Wildfires, Floods and Chaos Communications Podcast, host Tim Conrad speaks with Trent Ernst, publisher of The Tumbler RidgeLines and a long time resident who found himself reporting on an unimaginable tragedy in the community he loves.
Trent shares:
• The moment he realized something was terribly wrong
• What it was like to be the only local journalist on scene
• How national and international media descended on the town
• The tension between ethical reporting and harmful intrusion
• The emotional toll on a tight knit community
• How Tumbler Ridge’s identity, history, and resilience shaped its response
This episode is not about the shooter. It is about community, loss, and the people who remain.
