To our Family Members in the North (Canada)

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North West Indiana
I have not looked at a map to see who lives where, been hearing about a terrible wildfire and the evacuations going on. Here's hoping all of you are safe and your homes are out of the danger zones.
 
My daughter in law called me from Fort McMurray yesterday to tell me they were all OK, but the flames had been a block and a half from their home the day before. The flames were beaten back, but late yesterday they were given a voluntary evacuation order, and decided to leave. She and her sister in law packed a camper with all the stuff they will need for a while, and headed north to the evacuation centre with their three kids. The husbands, one of whom is my son, were at work considerably north of the city. They were told they might have to stay at the mine overnight, as the buses that run them back and forth to work were assisting in the evacuation. I have been a bit stressed over this, but the kids keep calling me with updates, and letting me know that they are safe. Safe is good, but I hope they don't lose their home. It is at the edge of town, with the forest just across the road. The fire has already jumped the Athabaska River in spots, so the daanger to the property is real. The DIL sent me some pictures with the water bombers and helicopters working so close it looked like they were right over the houses.

They plan to live in the camper, and not take up room in the evacuation centre, which other people may need more.
 
Ok, change of plans. They are all on their way to Edmonton, 400km south of Fort Mac, and will find a campground there for the duration of the emergency. Edmonton's a big city, with lots of things to keep the kids distracted, and keep everyone well fed.
 
The entire town of Fort McMurray has been evacuated (80,000 people) and 160 structures, mostly homes in the south part of the town have been destroyed. My son lives in the north part of town, so is OK so far as regards their home.
 
I cannot imagine this Roger. I hear of abandoned vehicles along the road due to running out of gas and no gas to be purchased in town. (empty tanks and a huge fire, yikes!)
Roger, are any of our family members in that neighborhood?
 
My cousin's husband is up there, he is a weldor and works at one of the camps, I hear he is OK, but boy this is a big setback for the area.
 
That picture is alarming, comforting, and interesting. I know from experience that it's fascinating to watch the aerial attack on a fire, but not so much fun watching it from your front yard. Sounds like your son and his family are doing the right thing by getting out of there for now.


i havnt seen it from front porch but i have from my tree stand.. and those fire fighters, the pilots or the ground crew are amazing folk.. hope it skips over to the next hill top rather than the next suburb.
 
Chilling! I remember bombers going overhead so low I could count rivets in '03. Prayers for all these folks and especially the firefighters.
 
I can't imagine a fire like that either, I stood in my ex-FIL's back yard in San Carlos, Ca and watch a fire burn through and up Laurel Canyon below their house... their yard only had a wooden rail fence separating them from the fire... it was a tiny fire compared to the picture Roger posted.
 
A bit early in the season for this sort of thing to be going on. They hit over 90F there earlier this week!! :eek:

Sounds like the firefighters are doing what they can but wow what a mess.
 
Roger, good things can happen when it's needed, your son and family are out of danger and they have a safe place to stay. Their home and property is still ok and we are all hoping it stays that way.

My step son in law is fire fighter here in calif. He is now in a management position and no longer on the fire line, but we know the relief when all are safe.

Bill
 
Lots of Maritimers and Newfoundlanders working in Fort Mac, so we're watching anxiously from afar. Almost everyone here knows someone there. As of tonight, 1600 structures lost, mostly homes. Earlier today, the firefighters said they were holding their own on the structure fires, but they were not in the hottest part of the day yet. The forest fire quadrupled in size since yesterday, now over 10,000 hectares!
Some scary pictures of the mad evacuation on CBC.ca. Truly a miracle there have been no deaths or serious injuries.
 
My son and his family are safe in Grassland. I made a mistake earlier; it's 1600 houses that have been destroyed, not 160, but that number has not changed all day, so I am afraid that when they get a chance to count again, it will be much worse. I know my son is resilient and tough. He will do whatever he needs to get through this, and help others along the way. This is so weird. It is like hearing that your family is being bombed or shelled out of their houses, but the enemy here is remorseless. It can be beaten, but will not surrender. There is talk of losing the whole town. When you've been there, you don't think it could be possible, but the fire experts are concerned that will happen.
 
13103543_1017326448314386_6026018758759314564_n.jpg Life changing experience for the entire town 80,000 evacuated so far. Amazing stories To go with it as well. West Jet airlines came to the plate without hesitation. Folks were shuttled to a remote air field where 12 planes were waiting to take them to safety. No charge. Pets welcome as carry on with no cages. Fly in with supplies and EMT staff and out with people. Amazing group. Bus drivers shuttled people round the clock to get them out of harms way. People who ran out of gas were picked up by people along the way who would leave personal belongings behind to take the people stranded. Gas stations supplied free gas just to get people out. Usually a 4 hr drive was over 8. only one death due to auto accident, a young girl. Canadians have raised in donations to help out the evacuees through the red cross over 44 million dollars ( still donations flood in) and the fed government will match dollar for dollar. Fire fighters are flying in from around the world to help out. BC near Fort St John is also under evacuation notice as fires rage out of control there as well. We cant even spare fire fighters to go to Alberta to help with their fire. As the BC fire crossed into Alberta the Bc fighters followed it in ( usually taken over by the Alberta fighters) but seeing they are busy with Fort Mac bc is leading the fight on that fire. Prayers go out to all those involved. This is a life changing fire that has doubled in size in one day. I think I heard 300,000 hectares on last report being fanned with high winds.
 
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