Fort McMurray evacuees arrive in Edmonton

Some evacuees from Fort McMurray are staying at the Claireview Rec Centre in North Edmonton. For many, the memory of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire is fresh in their minds.

“This is the second time for us. We live in Beacon Hill, so flames came over us last time,” explained Betsy Brown, a Fort McMurray evacuee.

Brown is in Edmonton now with her dog and two cats, saying she got out of Fort McMurray early to beat the gridlocked traffic. Talking with family back home, Brown doesn’t know what she will return home to.

“I didn’t lose my house last time. There was two rows of houses in Fort McMurray that didn’t burn — in Beacon Hill — ours was one of them. So I’m hoping for the same,” she explained.

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Evacuation alerts are being issued for residents in areas of northern Alberta, including Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, and Greenview.

Other residents spent hours longer than usual on the road, on what would normally be a four-and-half-hour journey from Fort McMurray to Edmonton.

“It took us about eight or nine hours. I didn’t really think I was affected last time. I didn’t think I’d be too stressed if it happened again. But when it actually started happening my mind was all over the place,” said Paul Gracie, a Fort McMurray evacuee.

Premier Danielle Smith says her government budgeted $2 billion to fight fires, adding that number could increase.

“So I’m confident where we’re at right now, that the money we’ve set aside for contingency will be sufficient.”

If evacuees like the ones in north Edmonton have to stay away from home for seven days, they can receive a $1,250 payment.

In the meantime, Premier Smith reminded Albertans to try and have at least 72 hours of expenses on hand if they have to flee home.

“In addition to that, we provide a lot of resources in those immediate days, hotel vouchers, food, and all of the additional communication support. It’s when an evacuation lingers longer than a week, that it becomes a financial hardship.”