The past few weeks have been…different. For one thing, we are having July weather in May, when there is often snow on the ground. Yesterday, it was 30 degrees, unheard of in this climate. The warm weather has also been uncommonly dry, which is producing calamity in our north.
Near the Tar sands projects, there is major northern city in the midst of boreal forest…very DRY boreal forest. Currently, that city, Fort McMurray, is being burned to the ground. A large part of it is gone, with more to come. This has required the evacuation of over 88000 people, the largest evacuation in Canadian history!
People are flooding into Edmonton and Calgary, and they will need to be there for many weeks, as all basic services are GONE from the city. No power lines, no houses, little water, and flattened houses, some 1600 at last count yesterday. The chaos is unbelievable. The orderly movement of all those people, most by the only road connecting Ft. Mac with the outside world. Today, some flights from industry camps brought a few thousand out. The highway passes through the city, and is not yet clear of fire on both sides of the road. So far, no injuries or deaths via fire - a minor miracle in my view.
By comparison, my life is smooth and easy. I swim every morning, alongside grade school kids taking lessons, and uproarious noise…which is wonderfully reassuring. Last evening I walked through our home and wondered what it would feel like to have ALL of it taken away in an afternoon by a wildfire. It was an overwhelming feeling. I had to stop that. It was unnerving. I felt for those northerners whose lives have been changes irrevocably…all 88000 plus!
If you are to pick up any Canadian CBC stations, you can stay abreast of it all. I posted on my face book page, some photos and videos of the fire. Look for "James J. Strachan" to find it. I will friend you so you can see what I'm talking about. Some of it may be on You Tube as well.
Enough for now. I hope to be back soon with more good stuff next time.
Near the Tar sands projects, there is major northern city in the midst of boreal forest…very DRY boreal forest. Currently, that city, Fort McMurray, is being burned to the ground. A large part of it is gone, with more to come. This has required the evacuation of over 88000 people, the largest evacuation in Canadian history!
People are flooding into Edmonton and Calgary, and they will need to be there for many weeks, as all basic services are GONE from the city. No power lines, no houses, little water, and flattened houses, some 1600 at last count yesterday. The chaos is unbelievable. The orderly movement of all those people, most by the only road connecting Ft. Mac with the outside world. Today, some flights from industry camps brought a few thousand out. The highway passes through the city, and is not yet clear of fire on both sides of the road. So far, no injuries or deaths via fire - a minor miracle in my view.
By comparison, my life is smooth and easy. I swim every morning, alongside grade school kids taking lessons, and uproarious noise…which is wonderfully reassuring. Last evening I walked through our home and wondered what it would feel like to have ALL of it taken away in an afternoon by a wildfire. It was an overwhelming feeling. I had to stop that. It was unnerving. I felt for those northerners whose lives have been changes irrevocably…all 88000 plus!
If you are to pick up any Canadian CBC stations, you can stay abreast of it all. I posted on my face book page, some photos and videos of the fire. Look for "James J. Strachan" to find it. I will friend you so you can see what I'm talking about. Some of it may be on You Tube as well.
Enough for now. I hope to be back soon with more good stuff next time.
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