Fort Mcmurray

[wildone]

I just wanted to start a topic about something that I'm sure we have all seen happening in my home province.

 

Last weekend a fire broke out near the Northern Alberta City of Fort McMurray. Provincial trained wildfire firefighters were immediately dispatched to help try to contain the fire.

 

As a precaution, two communities were evacuated. It looked like things were going to be under control and people were beginning to relax. That was when things changed for the worse. In little over 24 hours, all 85,000 people of Fort McMurray were evacuated. Right now there is Wildfire experts fighting the fires in the forest, urban firefighters from around the province fighting fires within the city and RCMP. Basically that is it. More wildfire firefighters and equipment are on the way from across the country and I do believe Australia is dispatching men and equipment as well. The Canadian military has been mobilized as well.

 

Efforts were hampered by the fact that there is only really a two lane paved highway that goes up to Fort McMurray with an alternate gravel road, and the paved highway continues north. Eventually the fire jumped the highway and has made it nearly impossible to drive south.

 

Towns of 2000 people are accommodating up to 8000 extra people who have been evacuated. People are getting out and heading to the major cities of Edmonton and Calgary as well as the smaller cities as well. Universities and Colleges are opening up there recently vacated residents to house evacuees. The province and the country are pulling together to help in whatever way is possible. Today my city's human society is trying to collect nearly 900 animal carriers, with the other major city asking the same.

 

My company has started a nationwide campaign to raise funds for the Red Cross and matching dollar to dollar donations, like many other companies. The Canadian Government will be matching dollar for dollar to the Red Cross donations. This fire will be measured in the amount of billions, as already over 2000 homes have been completely lost.

 

I just want to have a place to come and say that I'm proud of what we all are doing for the people of Fort McMurray, but my heart goes out to all the people who were uprooted in 24 hours and do not know if they have anything left. Yes, I know there is natural disasters all around the world, just surprising that now, close to 90,000 people have been uprooted.

 

If you want anymore information, please check out any major Canadian or International news web page, the pictures will leave you breathless.

 

 

 

Edit to add, yes I know I misspelled Fort McMurray, but the forum software doesn't allow two capitals in one word in the title

[Bill W]

I saw this on the news and it's devastating.  My prayers go out to the people affected by this disaster.  With so many things like this going on in the world right now, due to other natural disasters or warfare, I'm afraid the problem may not get as much attention as it deserves.  I'm glad the Canadian government, businesses, educational institutions, and the population are doing their best in this crisis and I send my best wishes to those caught up in this.  

[Mikiesboy]

I just wanted to start a topic about something that I'm sure we have all seen happening in my home province.

 

Last weekend a fire broke out near the Northern Alberta City of Fort McMurray. Provincial trained wildfire firefighters were immediately dispatched to help try to contain the fire.

 

As a precaution, two communities were evacuated. It looked like things were going to be under control and people were beginning to relax. That was when things changed for the worse. In little over 24 hours, all 85,000 people of Fort McMurray were evacuated. Right now there is Wildfire experts fighting the fires in the forest, urban firefighters from around the province fighting fires within the city and RCMP. Basically that is it. More wildfire firefighters and equipment are on the way from across the country and I do believe Australia is dispatching men and equipment as well. The Canadian military has been mobilized as well.

 

Efforts were hampered by the fact that there is only really a two lane paved highway that goes up to Fort McMurray with an alternate gravel road, and the paved highway continues north. Eventually the fire jumped the highway and has made it nearly impossible to drive south.

 

Towns of 2000 people are accommodating up to 8000 extra people who have been evacuated. People are getting out and heading to the major cities of Edmonton and Calgary as well as the smaller cities as well. Universities and Colleges are opening up there recently vacated residents to house evacuees. The province and the country are pulling together to help in whatever way is possible. Today my city's human society is trying to collect nearly 900 animal carriers, with the other major city asking the same.

 

My company has started a nationwide campaign to raise funds for the Red Cross and matching dollar to dollar donations, like many other companies. The Canadian Government will be matching dollar for dollar to the Red Cross donations. This fire will be measured in the amount of billions, as already over 2000 homes have been completely lost.

 

I just want to have a place to come and say that I'm proud of what we all are doing for the people of Fort McMurray, but my heart goes out to all the people who were uprooted in 24 hours and do not know if they have anything left. Yes, I know there is natural disasters all around the world, just surprising that now, close to 90,000 people have been uprooted.

 

If you want anymore information, please check out any major Canadian or International news web page, the pictures will leave you breathless.

 

 

 

Edit to add, yes I know I misspelled Fort McMurray, but the forum software doesn't allow two capitals in one word in the title

I live in Ontario ... and i have collegues in Fort Mac, but they are all okay. Any canucks on here GA, donate if you can... Broke my heart seeing people leaving town... leaving everything they have behind them. They will need so much, not just things but support. And people leaving their animals or setting them free ...asking people to watch for them and look after them.. so horrific and sad. 

 

thinking of them all... 

[rustle]

My heart goes out to those in Ft. McMurray, because I've gone through the same thing. My house was one of 1,800 that were destroyed in 2011 in Bastrop, Texas.

 

I'm reactivating my blog entries from that time, so that folks can understand what it's like from the inside.

 

I'm also sending a donation to the Red Cross, and hope some of you will do the same.

[northie]

It can be all too easy in a modern, developed country to think that Nature, if not tamed, is at least restrained. The unleashing of the primal forces of fire and wind yet again demonstrates Nature's overwhelming power.

 

The speed, ferocity, destructive power and sheer unpredictability of the fires must be terrifying. To have to leave your home (and everything it represents) in a matter of minutes or risk losing your life, must involve emotions and thoughts I can only guess at.

 

And people leaving their animals or setting them free ...asking people to watch for them and look after them.. so horrific and sad. 

 

 

Inevitable, I think, in the circumstances. Hopefully those animals which do survive and can be captured, wil be reunited with their owners. I can imagine that the guilt and sorrow from having to abandon loved animals will be part of what those people are suffering.

 

The pictures of the road out of Fort McMurray looked like a Hollywood disaster movie without the necessity for a CGI backdrop. Am I right in thinking that there has been no loss of life so far? That at least is something to be grateful for and is a great credit to the authorities in Fort McMurray and Alberta.

[Drew Espinosa]

I live in Ontario ... and i have collegues in Fort Mac, but they are all okay. Any canucks on here GA, donate if you can... Broke my heart seeing people leaving town... leaving everything they have behind them. They will need so much, not just things but support. And people leaving their animals or setting them free ...asking people to watch for them and look after them.. so horrific and sad. 

 

thinking of them all... 

Is there a way for non-Canadians to donate or contribute?

[Reader1810]

Is there a way for non-Canadians to donate or contribute?

 

Hey Drew

The link below is for the Canadian Red Cross. It allows for foreign donations and is specifically for Fort McMurray.

 

https://donate.redcross.ca/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1951&ea.campaign.id=50610&gclid=CjwKEAjwgbG5BRDp3oW3qdPiuCwSJAAQmoSDixJ795QS2GvdwqE3TYb6Ke1noWbkeAAAiMqA_2Qx4BoCMNHw_wcB

Edited May 6, 2016 by Reader1810

[Kitt]

Thanks Reader.  I always prefer to donate in a way I know makes it to the intended recipients!

[MrM]

This tragedy hits me particularly hard because I lived through the Cedar and Witch fires in San Diego County a few years ago. It was an utterly terrifying experience and what is happening to Alberta is our worst nightmare down here because it is so much worse than what we experienced!

 

My love to you all up there! I pray that you all remain safe and that you get the help you need to rebuild.

 

[Graeme]

I was at the edge of the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria where 173 people lost their lives. I know people who lost their homes, and of people who lost their families. One local was a volunteer fire fighter. After fighting fires on that Saturday, he later found out that the rest of his family had perished in the fires.... One of my lasting memories after we returned home was going through my wardrobe and picking out all my old suits. I was donating them for use by the survivors who had lost everything and needed them for the funerals of friends and family. Even as I type this, the memory is bringing tears to my eyes...

 

My heart and thoughts go out to all involved. I hope and pray that there continues to be no loss of life. Houses can be rebuilt. Lives can't.

[wildone]

The one bit of good news is that there has been no loss of life to date. The people who fled North have been evacuated from there by planes and the RCMP yesterday coordinated conveys of fifty vehicles a trip through town until they were well south of the city.

 

People who have driven talk about driving through hell as fire and flames can be seen on both sides of road. Driving through town seeing cars and trucks on both sides of the road that are burned out hulls reminded many of them of Hollywood Movies. Flames have jumped the Athabasca river which is a kilometer wide (.6 of a mile). As of now, most experts are saying humans can only react to the fire, only Mother Nature and rain will beat it down. Last I heard was for rain on Sunday evening.

 

One interesting thing I heard today, was fire lightening happening. I guess it is a phenomenon that happens when the heat from a fire being so large that the clouds of smoke actually generate lightning from them. Interesting but not something that you would hope for.

[Reader1810]

The Weather Network is forecasting rain this Sunday and daily through to the following Friday. I hope the chance for rain percentages are in their favour.