Plans to return and open the city have been on hold.
To open the city gets to be a bit complicated. All the gas was turned off because gas lines could and did rupture and add to the fire. They have to check gas lines for leaks and then all the pilot lights have to be relit.
Water lines were ruptured and the water was turned off to the whole city. The water treatment plant has to be started and all water lined checked and flushed.
All electricity had to be turned off.
The hospital and medical facilities have to be cleaned and opened.
People are told that when they go back they have to take food and water.
Yesterday the fire threatened larger work camps. A 650 person camp burned. There are 18 other camps with some holding about 1000 people 8000 people from the camps have been evacuated
Today the Premier announced that June 1 is the date to start returning to the city. For many reasons this could change .
For many people the decision to go back is difficult. Are schools going to be open? Will business be open? Will their job be needed now?
It will take a long time to open Fort McMurray again. Then the rebuilding starts.
Hi Red, Thanks for the update. The scale on this disaster is so massive. I just sat here for a few minutes and reflected on how complex the whole thing is ... just can't imagine how it is all going to unfold. Thanks for keeping us in touch with the story.
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Deletethey have a good idea of what it takes and are making the best of plans. People are not pushing to get home.
Unbelievable all the damage and displacement
ReplyDeleteIt takes a while to hit you as to how complicated this thing gets.
DeleteHeartbreaking is the only word I can think of.
ReplyDeleteMost people will be able to get back on their feet. there's a fair bit of assistance. For some it will be a long time to recuperate.
DeleteWhat a sad, sad situation. And so early in the year it makes me really scared for the summer months. :-(
ReplyDeleteOur forecast looks wet for the next week. It could be enough to put an end to the fire season.
DeleteWhat a terrible situation. So much devastation. And so many decisions to be made.
ReplyDeletePeople have been patient. communication has been good. People know they can't rush back.
DeleteSuch a sad situation. Where will the funding come from to correct this situation?
ReplyDeleteFunding will come mostly from insurance. This stage of things is costing the government a fortune.
DeleteIt's going to be a long road to rebuild.
ReplyDeleteThey are talking about what they want Mcmurray to be in the future so it's going to be a while.
DeleteThe scale of this disaster is hard to comprehend. The lives of so many disrupted and probably never the same again. Heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteIt's one of the biggest ,if not the biggest evacuation that's happened.
Deletehow absolutely horrible.
ReplyDeleteIt's horrible but most people are looking to the future.
DeleteI feel so sorry for all those people, what a nightmare for them, but at least they escaped with their lives:(
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update, Red. This is a good explanation of the complexity of the situation.
ReplyDeleteYes, Red, thankyou for your post. We have neighbours that just arrived home and the tales they shared over many cups of tea. There is great respect for all emergency crews, police, etc. My friend was driven to safety by a police officer. They just literally ran, with flames on both sides of the highway. She couldn't take her car, as there was not enough gas in it to escape. So fortunate, no lives were lost.
ReplyDeleteWe had the smell of this fire with smoke like fog in the area for a couple of days. It is a horrible fire and I wish them well as they try to close the fire down and start to rebuild.
ReplyDeleteThis is so very sad. What a horrible disaster.
ReplyDeleteI'll come back to visit later. Crazy life right now. Expecting kids in 3 weeks and trying to get things done. Arrrghhhh....