Safe, don't worry.
Context: My hometown, Fort McMurray, is on fire.
A mandatory evacuation order was issued last night. 80,000 people have been evacuated. Some of the reports I'm seeing indicate it's closer to 90,000. It's very much an emergency situation up here.
I was able to safely evacuate, along with my family. We've split since that point, but me 'n my brother are currently at a relative's in Fort Saskatchewan - 5 hours away from the fire, very safe. My parents are heading toward Athabasca and will probably join us here later.
There is a severe fuel shortage in the north right now; there are very few communities between the Edmonton area and Fort McMurray, and all of those tiny communities have been absolutely drained of gas. Fortunately, people seem to be approaching it calmly - it looks like the apocalypse, but we ain't in Mad Max territory yet.
We almost didn't make it; when we first got on the road to evacuate, the fire had breached the south road, which is the only proper way out of the city. The only other way out is the north road, which is not actually a way out because it takes you to: the oil refineries, and the lodging residences for out-of-town refinery workers, and one small community, and then... nothing. The road just ends. There is no way out of the municipality by the north road. Those who had to take that route are now lodging at the refinery camps and are, essentially, stuck there for the time being.
Luckily, the south road was opened just in time for us to re-route in that direction.
Chances that my house will be standing when it is safe to go back to the city are... unfortunately low. It is very hot, and very windy, and because of the unusually mild winter and frighteningly hot spring we're having, absolutely everything is going up like tinder. Luckily, I have relatives that I can stay with.
One request: I am lucky. There are many other Fort McMurray evacuees that are not as fortunate as I am. The Canadian Red Cross is taking monetary donations to help deal with this emergency. Additionally, if you are in Canada, especially western Canada and Alberta in particular, there might be other ways for you to help (material donations to places that are housing evacuees, etc). Please check to see if there are any local efforts. Drives from well-known charities/organizations are best, because independent efforts can not always be trusted to be genuine.
This entry was originally posted at http://yuuago.dreamwidth.org/3478994.html. You can comment here or at the original entry.
A mandatory evacuation order was issued last night. 80,000 people have been evacuated. Some of the reports I'm seeing indicate it's closer to 90,000. It's very much an emergency situation up here.
I was able to safely evacuate, along with my family. We've split since that point, but me 'n my brother are currently at a relative's in Fort Saskatchewan - 5 hours away from the fire, very safe. My parents are heading toward Athabasca and will probably join us here later.
There is a severe fuel shortage in the north right now; there are very few communities between the Edmonton area and Fort McMurray, and all of those tiny communities have been absolutely drained of gas. Fortunately, people seem to be approaching it calmly - it looks like the apocalypse, but we ain't in Mad Max territory yet.
We almost didn't make it; when we first got on the road to evacuate, the fire had breached the south road, which is the only proper way out of the city. The only other way out is the north road, which is not actually a way out because it takes you to: the oil refineries, and the lodging residences for out-of-town refinery workers, and one small community, and then... nothing. The road just ends. There is no way out of the municipality by the north road. Those who had to take that route are now lodging at the refinery camps and are, essentially, stuck there for the time being.
Luckily, the south road was opened just in time for us to re-route in that direction.
Chances that my house will be standing when it is safe to go back to the city are... unfortunately low. It is very hot, and very windy, and because of the unusually mild winter and frighteningly hot spring we're having, absolutely everything is going up like tinder. Luckily, I have relatives that I can stay with.
One request: I am lucky. There are many other Fort McMurray evacuees that are not as fortunate as I am. The Canadian Red Cross is taking monetary donations to help deal with this emergency. Additionally, if you are in Canada, especially western Canada and Alberta in particular, there might be other ways for you to help (material donations to places that are housing evacuees, etc). Please check to see if there are any local efforts. Drives from well-known charities/organizations are best, because independent efforts can not always be trusted to be genuine.
This entry was originally posted at http://yuuago.dreamwidth.org/3478994.html. You can comment here or at the original entry.