Marty Raney Ranch Fire: Shocking Blaze & Aftermath on Homestead Rescue

When you think of Homestead Rescue: Raney Ranch, you picture resilience, survival, and family teamwork in Alaska’s harsh wilderness. Filmed at the Raney family’s 40-acre ranch in the Matanuska–Susitna Borough near Palmer, Alaska, the show documents how Marty, Mollee, and their children turn raw land into a functioning off-grid homestead. But in Season 2, Episode 5—aptly titled Fire on the Forty (aired May 19, 2021)—viewers saw just how quickly those dreams can go up in smoke. A fire in the rafters of Marty and Mollee’s cabin destroyed their home, winter firewood, and food stores. The Raneys suddenly found themselves homeless on their own land, facing brutal Alaskan winter conditions. This terrifying blaze not only changed their ranch forever but also became one of the most dramatic and unforgettable episodes in the entire series.

The Cabin Fire

The blaze struck the very first footprint on the 40 acres—the lower ranch cabin Marty had built by hand, a place full of memories and family gatherings. Marty described it as “the place where we all come together, all the grandkids, my sisters, parents, their animals.” It was his legacy cabin. Smoke near the chimney quickly turned into flames racing through the rafters. Within minutes, the home was consumed, erasing years of work and irreplaceable heirlooms. Family instruments and the winter’s firewood stacked under the deck were lost, while only a few photo albums—including the wedding album—were saved.

Marty’s urgent cries—“We’re on fire, off-grid, Raney’s cabin!”—rang out as he posted a desperate SOS to social media, appealing for help from the Hatcher Pass area. Neighbors rushed in, and son Matt helped move goats, chickens, and other animals to safety. Despite these efforts, the cabin was reduced to ash in under 30 minutes. The family salvaged only a bearskin rug and a few albums. Marty later admitted, “Watching the house burn down was very painful, and traumatizing, frankly—a word I don’t use often.” For Matt, the loss was equally heavy: “It’s really surreal looking at your parents’ home like it’s a bonfire. This was the first thing built on this homestead, and now all that hard work and investment is gone. My parents had everything, their whole life, just jerked out from underneath them.”

Four days later, with the wreckage still smoldering, the Raneys faced the stark reality of being homeless on their own land. Refusing to give up, they turned to the half-finished Upper 20 Cabin, perched 200 feet above the valley floor. Though little more than a drafty shell with no heat, water, or power, it became their only hope of survival—and the rallying point for a family determined to rebuild from the ashes.

Verified Episode Details: Marty Raney Ranch Fire on Homestead Rescue

• Place: At 7 a.m., the fire destroyed the lower ranch cabin, the very first structure on the 40-acre homestead.
• Cause: Originated near the chimney; Marty’s attempt to chainsaw the roof may have added oxygen to the flames. He later accepted responsibility, calling it a chimney fire that had likely smoldered for hours.
• Response: Marty issued an SOS on social media, appealing to anyone nearby for water and fire extinguishers. Neighbors and son Matt helped evacuate goats and chickens.
• Damage: The cabin and winter firewood were destroyed in under 30 minutes. Priceless heirloom instruments and supplies were lost.
• Saved: Only a bearskin rug and a few family photo albums, including the wedding album, could be salvaged.
• Immediate outcome: Marty and Molly were left without a home. Their only hope was the unfinished Upper 20 cabin perched 200 feet up a cliff.

Making the Upper 20 Reachable

• Road hazard: The cliff road (“Cliffs of Insanity”) had turned into an ice luge. Before anyone could use the upper cabin, the family jackhammered 1.5–2 feet of ice, then cleared wind-felled trees (incl. a widow-maker) blocking the trail.
• Mindset: “Today we’re homeless… finish that cabin on the cliff.”

What the Upper 20 Cabin Still Lacked

• The structure was a shell: no windows, heat, water, or power; wind whistled through open voids. Priority list: insulate, seal, rough-in framing, and install windows to create a warm base.

Wood Heat Stopgap

• With the entire winter’s firewood gone, Matt and Katie prepared an 800-lb custom wood splitter. They assembled, tested, and taught 2-year-old Indy to help; the splitter enabled cords of wood to be produced rapidly to restore immediate heat.

Finding Water on the Upper 20

• Why a well matters here: The cabin sits on bedrock atop a 200-ft cliff—pumping from the original spring below or hauling water up the road was too dangerous. A contractor quoted $120/ft for drilling with no guarantee, and estimates implied ~400 ft to the water table—cost-prohibitive.
• Search & discovery: After two days of dry holes into bedrock, Marty dug again where gravel appeared (a key sign). The family then witnessed water pouring into the excavation—a major turning point.
• Culvert well build: Marty converted a 40-inch drainage culvert into a vertical well by slotting the pipe to admit groundwater and backfilling with gravel to filter. Capacity discussed on-camera: ~1,200 gallons of pristine mountain water.

Early Steps Toward Recovery

• Windows for survival: Marty and his son-in-law Micaiah (Misty’s husband) cut chainsaw openings for 71-inch windows. Installing the glass sealed the cabin against subzero winds and transformed the Upper 20 into a livable shelter. Marty proudly called it their “wilderness TV.”
• A lifeline of water: The family discovered 1,200 gallons of pristine mountain water flowing from a newly dug well. Misty and Micaiah quickly set to work designing and building a pump house to keep the supply clean and insulated against freezing.
• “Forgitude”: Marty coined a new word—“forgitude”—combining fortitude, forging ahead, and attitude. It became the mantra that carried the family through the rebuilding process.

Risky Gambles and Near Disasters

Even as progress was made, the Raneys faced nerve-racking risks that nearly ended in catastrophe:

• Big Red’s ice crossing: To secure a backup heating source, Marty planned to haul a 500-gallon oil tank across the frozen river in his six-ton truck, Big Red. Midway across, the truck broke through thin ice, forcing Matt to use an excavator and cables to drag it back to safety before it was lost until spring thaw.
• Snow machine scare: Switching to Plan B, Marty attempted the crossing with a snow machine pulling the tank on a trailer. The ice collapsed beneath him, plunging him into near-freezing water. A rope tether kept him from being swept away. Shaken, he admitted to Mollee, “You were 100% right.”
• These failed attempts underscored just how dangerous survival can be in Alaska, where a single misstep on the ice could mean disaster.

Teamwork on All Fronts

While Marty wrestled with the river, the rest of the family doubled down on survival tasks:

• Firewood: Matt and Katie cut over six cords of wood to replace what was lost in the fire—a first for the family in the dead of winter.
• Pump house build: Misty and Micaiah built a 4×6-foot insulated pump house with a slanted roof, securing the well against freezing and contamination.
• Kitchen and winter garden: Mollee helped plan the new kitchen, while Misty proposed an indoor hydroponic winter garden to replace lost food stores and ensure fresh produce year-round.

Lessons for Homesteaders

1. Chimney care matters: Neglected chimneys are a leading cause of fires.
2. Protect your water source: A pump house is critical for keeping wells clean and ice-free.
3. Have backup heat: Relying solely on wood heat is risky—backup systems like oil or propane are lifesaving.
4. Respect the river: Ice crossings carry life-threatening dangers, even for the most seasoned homesteaders.

Final Takeaway

The Marty Raney ranch fire was a documented event on the series that created a significant setback for the family’s homesteading efforts. From the frantic cries of “We’re on fire” to the triumphant moment when sunlight streamed through the new cabin windows, the Raneys showed that grit, ingenuity, and family unity can turn devastation into determination. Fire on the Forty remains one of the most unforgettable episodes of Homestead Rescue: Raney Ranch, a powerful reminder of both the dangers and the resilience that define life in the Alaskan wilderness.