Catrastrophe

Alberta has been hit with a huge catrastophe!! A HUGE  forest fire ( as if this morning it is 156 000 hectares and is expected to grow, doubling in size today). Over 88 000 people were evacuated safely. The largest Canadian evacuation on record. So far, no one has been killed or injured during the evacuation.  There were two fatalities on a secondary highway because of a motor vehicle crash.

All communities in Alberta are rising to the emergencies, with fund raising, emergency accommodations, food, toiletries. Many of our families at school have multiple families living with them. There is no break in sight. No one knows when people will be able to return, 1600+ structures have been obliterated.  The only thing that will stop this fire is the weather.

All levels of government  are doing their part. The military is up there, firefighters from all over Canada are fighting the fires. We are strong, we are pulling together.......and some of the right wing  have even calmed down their rhetoric. People who have no idea how emergency procedures must follow certain guidelines are being shut down. I wonder about the stupidity of people who think the Federal Government should have sent the military in immediately -- not understanding the logistics of a command centre, medical etc. A State of Emergency was called too early during the Slave Lake fire which caused chaos !  Fortunately the Provincial Government had learned from those mistakes and did it correctly this time.

The fire is growing as much as 100 km an hour !! Man cannot battle that. The fire jumped the river which is a kilometre wide !  The fire is 6 hours a way and we can smell it down here. Hubby cannot work outside as his breathing deteriorates.  YS is going to go shopping with me as it has been at least 3 weeks since I've done a big shop.  The temperature is going up to 29*C today so I am not sure how much we'll get done outside. The weeds grow fast no matter what the other plants and grass do.

I'm up to 1390 hexagons so far. I'm even planning on bringing them into school one day next week as I have to invigilate a PAT. It'll give me something to do as I sit in a room with a child for 2 + hours.

There is no rain in the forecast. This is one May that I wouldn't mind some snow. We do not need a thunderstorm with the possibility of more lightening strikes.  There is a provincial fire ban and a ban on off road vehicles. 

Devestation, but people are strong.