So this last week I had the misfortune of going through something I hope many of you never have to experience. On may 1st a forest fire started in my town where I live actually 2 started but 1 right in the middle of town worried me as it was right in town, luckily; So i thought at the time, the fire department got it out but another fire nearby was still burning (we get fires often up in northern canada) but I didn't feel threatened by it.
Fast forward two days later as I slept through the day after coming home from night shift I was awoken by a phone call from my girlfriend telling me the city was on fire and I better get up. I tried to brush it off as her exaggerating but she insisted I get up. So I did and when I went to a window to check outside behind my house all I could see was smoke and flames billowing into the air over the treeline. If you ever need something to wake you up better than coffee than maybe try looking at something like that because I instantly woke up. My first instinct was to check and see how close it was as the original fire was on the other side of town with a river between us. When I opened my Facebook it instantly blew up and I realized there was big problems the whole city was on evacuation notice, yhe fire jumped the river and half the city already being evacuated.
My girlfriend arrived home and I, along with a roommate packed our essential items into our vehicles and came up with a plan. There was however one item we didn't have much of ; gas, neither vehicle had gas luckily I scrounged up about 20 liters for the car but that wouldn't get us the 250kms out of town to the nearest gas station but we didn't have much choice. The plan was for the girlfriend and the roommate to head south out of town I took a separate vehicle to head north toward the place I work as they needed assistance if I could make it. That didn't happen and I was forced south with the others.
As I drove through our city it was a shit show plain and simple cars were everywhere in ditches up on sidewalks smashed up and driving in both lanes all while flames are on either side of the road and smoke so thick you could barely see the road. Even saw a young girl riding a horse.
I finally made it through the city and past the fire and devestation only to realize that the girlfriend was still making her way through the city which was getting worse by the minute, the cell towers were so clogged it was taking 10 min for one text to go through calling resulted in a dead end.
Finally after more than 2 hours the girlfriend made it out and we were on our way we had to ditch one vehicle along the way and lucked out with enough fuel to get to our destination.
We were very fortunate that we didn't loose our home and will just be displaced a few months but there are many others who weren't as fortunate and lost everything. Those people are going to need a lot of help.
I am amazed at the support pouring in from accross the country to help all those people in need every day for those in need and it makes me proud to be canadian. From people offering rooms to bringing gas and supplies to anyone in need.
That day over 88000 people were evacuated there we 2 lives lost on the highway but none in the fires.
I can't begin to express my thanks to the many police and fire personnel who fought for our city and saved most of it.
Looking back the one thing I can say is to have a plan, doesn't have to be much but essentials like important documents, license and money/credit cards ctothes for at least a week all come in handy and have gas because you just never know.
