For Virginia Monias, 61, a member of Garden Hill First Nation, it was Manitoba's changing winds that forced her out of her home.
"The smoke was coming from the south, but they were afraid the smoke would come from the west and hit Garden Hill. They were prepared for it. That's why we came to Winnipeg," said Monias, who was evacuated on September 2.
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“We watched the fire come over the hill towards our house,” recalls Ira Sandy, a British Columbia wildfire evacuee. “You could feel the heat and warmth from the flames.”
On Monday, Sandy evacuated from his community of Sugar Cane in northern British Columbia due to the wildfires that have been sweeping fiercely across the province. He is now staying at an evacuation centre in Prince George.
Canadian Red Cross volunteer David Wickingstad, who is currently fielding calls at the Kamloops HELP office, decided to help out because he knows what it’s like to be an evacuee. His community of 108 Mile in the Cariboo Region of BC has been under an evacuation order since Friday, July 7th due to the Gustafsen wildfire.
Gauthier is one of thousands of people pushed out of their homes due to a fast-moving wildfire that broke out Thursday, July 6 near the village of Ashcroft, BC. The fire swept through her tiny community nearby called Boston Flats.
Those who experience crisis situations are very likely to experience extreme stress – this is entirely normal. However, extreme stress can seriously affect your health and daily life. Here are some tips to help cope with stress.
Dry and severe weather caused wildfires to spread quickly throughout British Columbia, with approximately 100 wildfires sparked on July 7 alone. With a province-wide state of emergency declared, support is needed for thousands of families and individuals evacuated from their homes and communities.
Even when fire ravaged her recently renovated home, Saskatchewan resident Brenda Lyons didn’t think she needed support, initially declining Red Cross assistance; however, she discovered support was just what she needed to get her and her family through the long journey of recovery.
The signs of hope, strength and recovery are everywhere now when I visit Fort McMurray and the surrounding region in northern Alberta. It’s been slightly more than nine months since wildfires wiped out so much for so many there, and when I talk with people in Wood Buffalo, I still hear their struggles. But increasingly, I also hear more optimism.