N.W.T. wildfire evacuees find respite at northern Alberta ranch

As dangerous wildfires force people from their homes in the Northwest Territories, a small group of evacuees is gathering on a rural property just outside High Level, Alta.

About 40 people who fled communities under threat from wildfires were at Jane Groenewegen's ranch on Wednesday, creating a temporary community away from home. People sat together on chairs outside camping trailers parked on the grass while children filled in colouring sheets.

Groenewegen, a former N.W.T. MLA, normally lives about 270 kilometres north, in Hay River. She came to her Alberta ranch when the town was evacuated Sunday.

She's welcomed people there in times of crisis before, including previous evacuations during this year's extreme wildfire season. 

"This fire that's around Hay River and Yellowknife does seem the most threatening of anything so far," she said.

"The devastation at Enterprise and the corridor between Enterprise and Hay River is catastrophic. You can't describe it any other way."

Kevin Wallington got out of Hay River with his family on Sunday and drove to Groenewegen's property, like he did during earlier evacuation orders in May.

He's a family friend of hers, and he's been helping co-ordinate as other evacuees stop by. More could soon be on the way from Yellowknife, after the city of about 20,000 people was put under evacuation order Wednesday night.

Wallington said his impulse is to run back home and find some way to help, but he's embracing ways he can contribute where he is for now.

He said patience and kindness are paramount during such an unstable time, and he's encouraging people to check in on their families and communities, wherever they are.

"I think there's going to be friendships and relationships forged with people that have walked through difficult things," he said.

"We have people that have saved people's lives — that's the truth of the matter. They were able to pull them from burning vehicles. They were able to pick them up on the highway when there was utter chaos. Those are formative experiences for everybody."

Diana Smith, currently expecting her fifth child, struggled to decide how to get her family of six out of Hay River this week.

They were offered a flight at one point, but they wouldn't have been able to take many of their essentials, and Smith said she wasn't sure how they'd find accommodations for all of them once they landed.

They drove their packed camper north on Sunday at first, after hearing it wasn't safe to go south on the highway. After hunkering down by the lake on the north side of town for a night, cool weather and rain made it safe enough to finally drive out, eventually arriving at Groenewegen's property, where other friends were already staying.

"It was unrecognizable when we drove through. It's like an apocalyptic landscape. There's just nothing but black and smoke coming out of the bushes," Smith said.

Her children have now been through three evacuations, she added.

"We've had to evaluate what to leave in a burning house a few times now. We're good at it, but not to the point that we want to be good at it."

Groenewegen said with so many people gathering on her property, her son recently joked with her that she now has "the commune she always wanted."

But she said she hasn't lost sight that it isn't under good circumstances.

"I just really do feel bad for the people who lost everything — lost their home, lost everything."