Wildfire evacuees from Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., speak of the chaos of Saturday's evacuation
Residents settling into Norman Wells and other communities
As residents of Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., prepared themselves to evacuate on Saturday due to a wildfire, many were in a panic, said community councillor Lucy Jackson.
Saturday morning was a regular day for residents, until the wildfire that now threatens the community of just over 500 people broke out, growing rapidly and triggering an evacuation.
As of Monday morning, the wildfire had reached the community but hadn't burned any structures, according to N.W.T. Fire.
"It's sort of a new experience for all of us in Fort Good Hope. Of course, we had fires in the past, but we never had to go through this," Jackson said.
The order to leave Fort Good Hope — a community of about 500 people located on the Mackenzie River in the Sahtu Region — came without warning. Hundreds of residents were flown to Norman Wells, while others went to Délı̨nę or a fish camp near Fort Good Hope.
"[The order was that] we have to leave now, we have to get ready and with what we had on. Some of us packed a few things and … and there was a lot of panicking," Jackson told CBC News from the evacuation welcome centre in Norman Wells, N.W.T.
"You know, people had to calm down… but it's one of those things, I guess, that we learn, you know?"
Norman Wells welcomes evacuees
Sarah Baker of Norman Wells has been helping evacuees get settled in her town. This included greeting them at the airport and registering them.
"It took a while for the planes to get here. But once they started flowing, they were just coming back to back to back," she told CBC News.
Amid the chaotic day, the stress and anxiety wasn't limited to evacuees, Baker said.
"Even though you're feeling a bit anxious — I know there's some emotions that are running high and stuff like that — on top of all that, you still have to try and focus on what you can do to support the evacuees coming into our community," she said.
Prior to the evacuees' arrival, Baker helped set up cots in the school's gymnasium.
She spoke to CBC News on Sunday from a school gymnasium where evacuees were eating a meal. Looking ahead to Monday, she said there was some concern that volunteer capacity would shift when those who work nine-to-five jobs go back to work. However, she said that the hope is that some of the evacuees will be able to step in and support meal preparations.
Waiting it out
George Grandjambe of Fort Good Hope told CBC News that the stress of the evacuation didn't end when people landed in Norman Wells. That's because they learned they could be away from home for a full week, and many are tight on money, he said.
"We all got caught off guard and, and some of us are starting to feel the financial stress because we don't have money to sustain ourselves here in Norman Wells."
Grandjambe said they've been in touch with elected officials who have assured them that evacuees will receive some financial support.
There was also worry about what they'd left behind.
"You look into the faces of a lot of the evacuees here, they're really worried and concerned because they have a lot to lose," he said.
"Their vehicles, they have boats, they have houses, they have all kinds of expensive things that they own and they could lose that," he said.
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With files from Emma Tranter