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Scary and exhausting, but safe after wildfire evacuation

Ruby Nanaout recounts experience fleeing Fort Smith แ…แ“—แฑ แ“‡แ“‡แ…แ‘ฆ แ…แ“‚แ’ƒแ‘ณแ–…แณแ–… แŠแ‘แ“šแ…แ–…แ‘•แ’ฅแ“‚ แ•ฟแ’ชแ–ƒแ‘•แ…แ‘Žแ“ชแ“—แ’ แ•—แŠแ‘ฆแ”… แ“ฏแ’ฅแ‘ฆ-แ’ฅ
Stewart Burnett
33710439_web1_230830-KIV-rubyfire_1
A photo shows the busy highway as evacuees drive from the Northwest Territories to northern Alberta to escape wildfires. Photo courtesy of Ruby Nanaout แŠแ”จแ–แ‘Ž แ‘•แ‘ฏแ”ญแ“ฏ แŠแ‘แ–…แ‘•แ…แ•ˆแ“˜แ”ญแ–…แ‘ แŠแ–แ‘Žแ‘ฏแ‘–แ–… แ•ฟแ’ชแ”ชแ‘ฆ แƒแ–แ•แ•‹แ“ชแ“—แ‘Žแ’ƒ แ“„แ“‡แ‘ฆแ‘ŽแŠแ•แ’ฅ แ…แŠแ–•แ“‡แ–…แธแ”จแŠแ“„แ‘ฆ แŠแ…แณแ‘• แ•ฟแ’ชแ’ƒแ“ฏแ”ชแ‘ฆ แƒแ‘ฏแŠแ“šแ”ชแ’ฅแ’ƒ. แŠแ”จแ–แ‘Ž แ…แ“—แฑ แ“‡แ“‡แ…แ‘ฆ

About a month ago, Ruby Nanaout got a notification on her phone that she should be prepared and pack a bag of important items in light of increasing wildfire activity in the Northwest Territories.

She had been living in an apartment in Fort Smith with her husband and son. A couple of weeks after the first notification, her phone showed a more dire one, alerting her to evacuate.

โ€œEverybody started getting ready,โ€ recalled Nanaout, originally from Chesterfield Inlet.

Her husband and son left first with three students from the college, while Nanaout stayed behind one day as an essential worker as a housekeeper in the hospital. The next day, Sunday Aug. 13, she evacuated with a co-worker at noon, heading on the highway to Hay River.

โ€œJust when we were almost in Hay River, our phone went off and the alert went on and said Hay River was evacuating as well, so me and my co-worker were like, โ€˜what?โ€™โ€

So they fuelled up โ€“ luckily finding an open gas station quickly โ€“ and the evacuation continued south, heading to High Level.

Nanaout met up with her family in High Level, continuing on to Peace River and arriving at a hotel past midnight. She had been on the road fleeing the fires for 13.5 hours by the time she got to the hotel.

โ€œThe highway was long,โ€ recalled Nanaout. โ€œThere were probably 10,000 evacuees from Fort Smith and Hay River.โ€

The next day, she was on the road again and headed to Grande Prairie, where she made it to the evacuation centre. She waited six hours in line but eventually got her number called and went through the process to get accommodations and meals.

โ€œEveryone is tired and stressed because of all this,โ€ recalled Nanaout. โ€œLike what are we going to do, whatโ€™s our plan? I think everybodyโ€™s going through that at the moment.โ€

Thankfully, people were very supportive, she said.

โ€œEven people who I donโ€™t know will come up to us and tell us where to go, what to do,โ€ said Nanaout. โ€œThereโ€™s a lot of support. Everybodyโ€™s supporting each other.โ€

Since the evacuation, she and her family have been in Grande Prairie, playing the waiting game.

โ€œIt was a tough journey,โ€ she said. โ€œIt was scary. You could see the fires on the way to High Level, leaving Hay River.โ€

She had even heard of a car and camper that caught fire on the drive.

Asked if the experience changed her or what she would do if it happened again, Nanaout said, โ€œI have no idea. I donโ€™t know what I would do the next time. But I hope I will never experience it again.โ€

As of talking to Kivalliq News, Nanaout and her family were being taken care of in Grande Prairie as they waited for news of when they could return home.

โ€œAll we have to do is wait patiently,โ€ she said. โ€œWeโ€™re safe. Thatโ€™s all that matters.โ€

แ‘•แ•ฟแ…แ“šแ…แ–…แ‘แ’ฅ, แ…แ“—แฑ แ“‡แ“‡แ…แ‘ฆ แ“‡แ“—แ“‡แƒแ–…แ‘•แ…แ–ƒแ‘•แ…แ“šแ…แ–…แณแ–… แ…แ–ƒแ“˜แ‘Žแ•‹แ“šแ’ฅแ’ แฑแ•™แ’Œแ”ญแ–…แ“ฏแ’ชแ“ชแ“—แŠแ•แ“•แ•แ’ฅแ“‚ แธแ•แ“‡แ’ƒแ“ฏแ’ชแ“—แ“‚แ“— แŠแ“‚แ•†แ”ญแ•แ’ฅแ“‚ แฑแ–แ‘Žแ“‚แ’ƒ แฑแ”พแ”ชแ‘Žแ’‹แ“ชแ“—แ’ แƒแ‘ฏแŠแ“šแ”ชแ–… แŠแ–แ’กแ“•แ•™แ“ชแ“•แŠแ“‚แ–“แ“‚ แ“„แ“‡แ‘ฆแ‘ŽแŠแ•แ’ฅ.

แ…แ•™แ‘ฆแ‘Žแ–ƒแ–…แ“—แ“‚ แŠแ‘แ–…แ‘แŠแ’แ’ฅแ’ƒ แ•—แŠแ‘ฆแ”… แ“ฏแ’ฅแ‘ฆ-แ’ฅ แ…แƒแ–“แ“— แƒแ•แ“•แ–“แ“—. แ’ชแ•ˆแ‘ฆ แฑแ“‡แ“ฑแŠแ•ˆแ“ฏแ–… แŠแ“‚แ’แ–…แ‘Žแ“ชแ“—แ’ แ“‡แ“—แ“‡แƒแ–…แ‘•แ…แ“šแ…แ•แ“‚แ“‚, แ…แ–ƒแ“˜แ‘Žแ•‹แ“›แ“‚ แ“‡แ“—แ“‡แƒแ–…แ“ฏแ“ชแ“—แ“‚ แฑแ••แ–•แ“‚แ–…แ“ดแ…แ“ชแ“—แ“‚, แ•ฟแ’ชแ–แ”ญแ…แ“ชแ“—แ“‚ แ“„แ“‡แ’ฅแ“‚.

โ€˜โ€™แ‘ญแ“‡แ“•แ’ชแ–… แธแ–…แ“‡แ“ฏแ•—แ–…โ€™โ€™, แ…แ–ƒแ–…แณแ–… แ“‡แ“‡แ…แ‘ฆ, แƒแ“—แ“•แ’‘แ•แ”ชแ’ฅแ…แ‘•แ’ƒแ“ดแ”ญแ’ƒ.

แ…แƒแ“‚ แŠแ’ปแ’ชแ“— แ•ฟแ‘แ–“แ“‚ แŠแ…แ“ชแ“šแ–…แ–„แ“šแ…แ–…แ‘แ‘ฆ แ“ฏแ•—แ“ชแ“•แ…แ“ชแ“—แ‘Žแ’ƒ แฑแ–ƒแ‘Žแ–ƒแ–…แ–ขแ‘Ž แฑแ–“แ“ฑแ“‚ แ“ฏแ“šแ‘ฆแ‘แ–…แ“ดแ•แ••แ–•แ’งแ‘ฆ แƒแ“•แ“แ“‚แŠแ•†แŠแ–…แ“ฏแ’ชแ”ชแ‘ฆ, แ“‡แ“‡แ…แ‘ฆ แ…แ“ชแ“—แ–… แŠแ‘•แ…แ“ฏแ–… แŠแ…แ“šแ–แ“šแ…แ‘ฒแ’ƒแ–ขแ“‚ แฑแ“•แ•†แ”จแ’ชแ•†แ…แ–ƒแ‘•แ…แ’แ’ฅ แ“ดแ“—แ’ปแ’ชแ–…แ“ดแƒแ“‚แ• แ‹แ“‚แŠแ•แ••แ–•แ’ฅ. แ–ƒแ…แ’ƒแ‘Žแ“ชแ“—แ’, แ“ฏแ•™แ‘–แ•แ••แ–• แŠแ’Œแ“ฏ 13, แ•ฟแ’ชแ’ƒแ“ฏแ–ƒแ‘•แ…แ“•แ–…แ–ขแ“‚ แƒแ–ƒแ“‡แƒแ”ญแ–…แ‘Žแ–ƒแ‘Žแ’ฅแ“‚แ’ƒ แ“‚แ•†แ“แ“‡แ’ฅ, แŠแ–แ‘Žแ‘ฏแ‘–แ’ƒแ‘ฏแ‘ฆ แƒแ–แ•‹แ”ชแ‘ฆ HแŠแƒ แ•†แ•—แ’งแ‘ฆ.

โ€˜โ€™HแŠแƒ แ•†แ•—-แ’งแ‘ฆ แ‘Žแ‘ญแ…แ‘Žแ‘ฆแ‘ŽแŠแ“•แ–…แ–ขแ‘•, แ…แ–ƒแ“˜แ‘Žแ•—แ‘ฆ แŠแ”ชแ“•แ–…แ–ขแ‘Žแ’ƒ แŠแ’ปแ’ชแ“— แ“‡แ“—แ“‡แƒแ–…แ‘•แ…แ“•แ•†แ“ชแ“—แ‘• HแŠแƒ แ•†แ•—แ’ฅแ…แ‘ฆ แ•ฟแ’ชแ’ƒแ“ฏแ‘Žแ‘•แ…แ–•แ’ฅแ–•แ’ชแ‘•, แƒแ–ƒแ“‡แƒแ”ญแ–…แ‘Žแ–ƒแ‘Žแ’แ“— แ…แ–ƒแ“šแ…แ–…แ‘แ’แ‘ฆ โ€˜โ€™แ–ƒแ“„แ–…?โ€™โ€™

แ…แ–…แ“ดแ’ƒแ“ดแ–…แ–ขแ‘Žแ’ƒ - แ“‡แ“‚แ“ฏแ–คแ‘แŠแ•‹แ’ฅแ’ƒ แ…แ–…แ“ฑแ–…แ‘–แ•แ••แ–•แ’ฅ แ–ƒแ“‚แ‘ฆแ‘แ’ƒแ‘ฏแ‘ฆ - แŠแ’ปแ’ชแ“— แ‘ฒแ”ชแ“ฏแ“•แ–…แดแ’ƒ แ•ฟแ’ชแ“ชแ“—แ‘Žแ’ƒ แ“‚แ’กแ’‹แ–…แธแ“ฏแ–•แ’งแ‘ฆ, แ–แ‘Žแ’ƒแ‘ฒแ“‚แ•แ“‚แ–…แ“ดแ’งแ‘ฆ.

แ“‡แ“‡แ…แ‘ฆ แ‘ฒแ‘Žแ–ƒแ‘Žแ–ƒแ–ขแ“‚ แ…แธแ’ƒแ“ฏแ’ชแ•แ••แ’‹แ”ญแ–“แ“‚แ‘ฆ. แ‘ฒแ”ชแ“ฏแ“ชแ“—แ‘Žแ’ƒ แฑแ”… แ•†แ•—-แ’ง แŠแ’ปแ’ชแ“— แ‘แ”ชแ•แ’ฅแ••แ–•แ’งแ‘ฆ แ‘Žแ‘ญแ–ฆแ–ขแ‘Žแ’ƒ แ…แ“แ“„แŠแ–“แ“‚ 12. แƒแ–แ•‹แƒแ“แ“‡แ–…แ–ขแ“‚ แŠแ–แ‘Žแ’ƒแ‘ฏแ‘ฆ แ‘ฒแ‘Žแ–ฆแ–ขแ’ 13.5 แŠแ‘ฒแ•‹แ“„แ‘ฆ.

โ€˜โ€™แŠแ–แ‘Žแ‘ฏแ‘–แ’ƒ แ‘•แ‘ญแ“šแ…แ–…แ‘แ–…, แ…แ–ƒแ–…แณแ–… แ“‡แ“‡แ…แ‘ฆ. โ€˜โ€™10-แธแ“—แ‘ฆ แ•ฟแ’ชแ‘Žแ‘•แ…แ“šแ…แ–…แ‘แ‘ฆ แ•—แŠแ‘ฆแ”… แ“ฏแ’ฅแ‘ฆ-แ’ฅ แŠแ’ปแ’ชแ“— HแŠแƒ แ•†แ•—-แ’ฅ.โ€™โ€™

แ–ƒแ…แ–•แ’ชแ‘ฆ, แƒแ–แ•‹แ“ฏแ’ƒแ‘ฒแ“แ“‚แ“šแ…แ–…แ‘แ–… แ••แ•‹แ“ แฑแ…แ•†-แ“•แŠแ“•แ–…แ‘แ–… แ‘•แƒแ‘ฏแ–“ แ•ฟแ’ชแ•แ••แ…แ••แ“•แ…แ–…แ‘•แ…แ“ฏแ’ชแ”ชแ’งแ‘ฆ. แƒแ‘ฒแ•‹แ“„แ‘ฆ แ–แ“•แ“„แ‘ฆ แ…แ‘•แ•ฟแ“šแ…แ–…แ‘แ–… แ“‡แ–แ–…แ–ขแ“‚ แ“‡แƒแ“ดแ…แ‘Žแ“‚ แ‘•แƒแ”ญแ…แ“‡แ“ฑแ’ƒแ‘Žแ“ชแ“—แ’ แŠแ’ปแ’ชแ“— แŠแ‘แ•†แŠแ–ƒแ–…แ‘•แ“‚ แŠแ‘แ–…แ–ขแ“‚แ…แ’ƒ แ‘แ”ชแ•แ’ฅแ••แ”ชแ‘Žแ’ƒแ“ดแ“„ แ“‚แ•†แ”ชแ‘Žแ’ƒแ“ดแ“„แ‘ฆ,

แ‘ญแ“‡แ“•แ’ชแ–… แ‘•แ–ƒแ–“แ”ชแ–… แŠแ’ปแ’ชแ“— แƒแ“ฑแ’ชแ“—แ’ƒแ–ขแ‘Žแ’ƒ แ‘•แ’ƒแ“ฑแ’งแ–“ แฑแ“ชแ“—แ’,โ€™โ€™ แ“‡แ“‡แ…แ–… แ…แ–ƒแ–…แณแ–…. โ€˜โ€™แ–ƒแ“„แ“‚แŠแ“•แ•‹แ‘ฆแ‘•แ“•, แ‘ญแ“ฑ แธแ•แ“‡แ’ƒแธแ•—แ‘ฆ? แ‘ญแ“‡แ“•แ’ชแ‘ฆ แŠแ‘แ–…แ“šแ…แ‘ฒแ’ƒแ“ฏแ’ชแ–‚แ–…แ‘•แ“‚ แ’ชแ“‡แ…แ”ชแ–….โ€™โ€™

โ€˜โ€™แ–แ”ญแ“•แ•—แ–…, แ‘ญแ“‡แ“•แ’ชแ–… แƒแ‘ฒแ”ชแ–…แ“ฑแƒแ“šแ…แ•แ’ช. แ‘ญแ“‡แ“•แ’ชแ–… แƒแ‘ฒแ”ชแ–…แ‘Žแ’Œแ’ƒแ–ขแ‘Žแ’ƒ.โ€™โ€™

แ•ฟแ’ชแ’ƒแ“ฏแŠแ“ชแ“šแ“šแ…แ–…แ–ขแ‘Žแ’ƒ แ‘ฏแ•‹แ“ แฑแ…แ•†แ’ฅแ“ฏแ’ชแ“•แ–…แ‘แ‘ฆ, แฑแ–‘แŠแ–…แ‘แ‘ฆ แ…แ‘•แ•ฟแ“ชแ“—แ‘Žแ’ƒ.

โ€˜โ€™แŠแ”ชแ•แ“‡แ“ตแ–…แ‘แ–… แŠแ‘แ–…แ‘•แ•—แ‘ฆ,โ€™โ€™ แ…แ–ƒแ–…แณแ–…. โ€˜โ€™แ‘ฒแฑแŠแ“‡แ“ตแ–…แ‘แ–…. แ‘•แ‘ฏแ”ชแ“แ“‡แ–…แ–ขแ‘Žแ’ แŠแ‘ฏแŠแ“šแ”ชแŠแ“—แ’ƒ แ–แ‘ฆแ‘Žแ“ˆแ–…แ‘แ’ƒแ‘ฏแ‘ฆ,

แ•ฟแ’ชแ“•แ–…แ–ขแ‘Žแ’ HแŠแƒ แ•†แ•—.โ€™โ€™

แ‘แ“ดแ“šแ…แ•†แ“ชแ“—แ“‚ แ“„แ“‡แ“ฏแ…แ’ปแ’ฅแ‘ฆ แƒแ‘ฏแŠแ“šแ“•แ–…แ‘แ’ฅแ’ƒ แƒแ–แ•‹แ‘Žแ“ชแ“—แ’‹.

แŠแฑแ•†แ•™แ•‹ แŠแ‘แ“šแ…แ–…แ‘•แ“‚ แŠแ“ฏแ”พแ”จแ–…แ“ฏแ’ชแ–”แ‘ฆ แ…แ•แ•™แ“˜แ“ƒแ‘ฆ แ–ƒแ“„แƒแ“‡แ”ญแ•แ’ชแ–“แ‘ฆ แŠแ‘แ‘ฒแ“‚แ•ˆแ“‚แ…แ’ƒ, แ“‡แ“‡แ…แ–… แ‘ญแ…แ•—แ–… แ“‡แ“—แ“ชแ“—แ“‚. แ–ƒแ…แ”จแ’ชแ“‡แ”ญแ–แ‘ฆแ‘แ–“ แ‘ญแ–‘แ“ชแ“•แ•แ’ฅ. แ‘ญแ“ฏแŠแ“‚ แŠแ‘แ“šแ…แ–…แ“ฏแ’ชแ‘ฒแ“‚แ”ฎแ–แธแ•‹แ‘แ–….

แ…แ–ƒแ“ชแ“šแ’ƒแ‘Žแ“ชแ“—แ’ แฑแ•™แ“•แŠแ”ชแ“•แ•†แ–ฆ แ‘ญแ•™แ“ชแ“•แ•แ’ฅ, แ“‡แ“‡แ…แ‘ฆ แƒแ“šแ–แ“ชแ“— แ‘ฒแ’ชแ’‹แ”ญแ…แ•—แ‘ฆ แ••แ•‹แ“ แฑแ…แ•†แ’ฅ แ…แ‘•แ•ฟแ“ชแ“—แ‘Žแ’ƒ แ–ƒแ–“แ‘ฏ แŠแ–แ•‹แ•ˆแ“แ“‡แ“ฏแ“‡แ”ญแ•แ’ชแ–”แ•แ’ฅ.

โ€˜โ€™แ…แ‘•แ•ฟแ‘ฆแ‘ŽแŠแ‘แƒแ“‡แ•†แŠแ–ƒแ–…แ‘แ’แ‘ฆ,โ€™โ€™ แ…แ–ƒแ–…แณแ–…. แŠแ‘ฆแ‘•แ•แ“‡แ–แ‘ฆแ‘แ’ฆแ‘ฆแ‘แ’แ‘ฆ. แ‘•แ’ชแ“แ“‡ แฑแ’ปแ’ชแ•†แ…แ”ชแ–….โ€™โ€™

33710439_web1_230830-KIV-rubyfire_2
Ruby Nanaout, originally from Chesterfield Inlet, evacuated Fort Smith when wildfires threatened the community. She recounted the story to Kivalliq News. Photo courtesy of Ruby Nanaout แ…แ“—แฑ แ“‡แ“‡แ…แ‘ฆ แƒแ’กแ“—แ“•แ’‘แ•แ”ชแ–•แ’ฅแ…แ‘•แ’ƒแ“ดแ”ญแ’ƒ, แ•ฟแ’ชแ–ƒแ‘•แ…แ“šแ…แ–…แ‘แ–… แ•—แ•‹แ‘ฆ แ“ฏแ’ฅแ‘ฆ-แ’ฅ แƒแ‘ฏแŠแ“šแ”ชแ–… แ…แ“—แ•†แŠแ“‡แ–…แ‘แ’ฅแ“•แ–…แ‘Žแ“ชแ“—แ’ แ“„แ“‡แ“•แ–•แ’งแ‘ฆ. แ…แ“‚แ‘ฒแ…แ“ฏแ•†แ“šแ…แ–…แธแ”พแ”ชแ’ƒ แŠแ‘แ“šแ…แ‘ฆแ‘•แ“‚ แ‘ญแ•™แ“ชแ“•แ–… แฑแ•™แ“ชแ“•แŠแ”ชแ“•แ•†แ”จแ–แ“แ“„. แŠแ”จแ–แ‘Ž แ…แ“—แฑ แ“‡แ“‡แ…แ‘ฆ

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