Hey Darbgnik you OK

[supersnake]

If anybody is following the Ft Mcmurray forest fires one of our own lives there. Hope he is OK and can get out

[Turk]

Ya thats crazy whats going on. A house I used to stay at up there was completely destroyed.

[TA Two Oh]

He was evacuated this evening along with tens of thousands of others. Last I heard he was heading north, low on fuel, hoping to get in to one of the Camps that are accepting evacuees. The situation up there is dire. Terrifying, actually. I can't recall a fire in North America with this much property damage and human displacement. Hoping for a good outcome for Brad and everyone else in Fort McMurray.

[donk_316]

He is 1 of 2 people i know that lives up there. Ive worked there two or three times before.

Sister in law and her family live there, they have been on the hwy coming south for 6 hrs now.

Such a devestating blow to an already hurting community. Hope all is well.

[Fatboy 18]

Just seen footage of the fires on British TV this morning! Wow, hope everyone makes it out ok. Sadly they never tell you of the casualties of lost live stock, pets etc..that can't get out Terrifying!

[Vprbite]

Wow. Sending prayers your way, man.

[Coloviper]

Just a bad situation overall up there. So many fires in those Western Provinces right now. They need rain and lots of it now. Hope everyone gets out and they put it out quickly.

[n49]

Very bad situation there....so far I believe at least 500 homes were lost. High winds expected today. Hopefully they can get it contained.

[Viktimize]

Brad's place is in an area that looks to be unaffected by fire based on the reports I've seen so far. Who knows if there will be smoke damage though?

My sister got out ok, hoping their house is fine. About a dozen friends houses were a complete loss. Pretty positive my spare rooms will be full tonight.

[BrianACR]

It's some crazy stuff happening up there. I heard there is traffic heading south on both north and south bound lanes of 63. I guess whatever it takes to get people out of the burn zone. What we really need though is a good drenching rain. It's good to hear that people are getting out and away from it safely, but it's also sad that so many people are loosing so much.

[donk_316]

I'm not sure which neighborhood brad is in.

My family was in dickinsfield. They are at our house now.

[supersnake]

Buy his address it looks like he is in the Timberlea area. Hopefully himself and family are safe

[Fireball36]

I just got off the phone with Brad. His house is still standing and is still broadcasting a video feed on his security system.

They're currently fighting the fire 3 blocks from his home but he's hopeful, and expects that his house will be OK. But he's not really sure.

Even if it survives the fire there may be smoke damage, etc. Additionally, firefighters are breaking into homes (state of emergency - they can do whatever they need to do) to get rest, water, food and use the bathrooms. So there may be some damage from that.

Brad's hopeful. My thoughts are with him.

He's at a camp north of town and as soon as they open the highway he'll head out, probably to Calgary. There's a track day Saturday - I'll make sure he'll have a great car at his disposal should he manage to make it there.

Greg

[TA Two Oh]

I just got off the phone with Brad. His house is still standing and is still broadcasting a video feed on his security system.

They're currently fighting the fire 3 blocks from his home but he's hopeful, and expects that his house will be OK. But he's not really sure.

Even if it survives the fire there may be smoke damage, etc. Additionally, firefighters are breaking into homes (state of emergency - they can do whatever they need to do) to get rest, water, food and use the bathrooms. So there may be some damage from that.

Brad's hopeful. My thoughts are with him.

He's at a camp north of town and as soon as they open the highway he'll head out, probably to Calgary. There's a track day Saturday - I'll make sure he'll have a great car at his disposal should he manage to make it there.

Greg

Thanks for the update and the good news about Brads house.

"Firefighters ... use the bathrooms. So there may be some damage" LOL

[Bill Pemberton]

Hard to imagine the devastation. For those of us in the Midwest, this would be like having the entire town of Lawrence , Kansas ( Kansas University ) evacuated. I don't think many realize how huge this is and our prayers need to go out to all our North American neighbors!!

[Fatboy 18]

Wow. Sending prayers your way, man.

+ 2 Thinking of you and your families in the area.

[Fireball36]

Fort McMurray people are a special breed. No injuries during evacuation, no problems at all. Most have first aid training... it's an independent, highly capable population that 'can get it done'.

These are strong, great people.

It's amazing how people have helped each other. A guy Brad had never met offered to fill his tank with fuel, just because he had some and Brad was out.

Fort McMurray is awesome!

Greg

[Fireball36]

I just heard that they might be evacuating the camps by air. Either corporate aircraft, maybe military aircraft.

Greg

[Redx]

Unbelievable amount of support from albertans! I lived/worked/commuted ft Mac for 4.5 years and just devastating to hear what happened!

[darbgnik]

Thanks for the concern guys! I made it out, and am currently staying in Calgary.

It was a tense time, but I didn't have it nearly as bad as some. I had friends stuck on the highway, for a couple days. I've had friends lose their homes. Mine is still there, and hopefully will stay that way. I was made very comfortable by one of the oil sands company's camps. The staff there did their very best for us. I must say it was strange seeing all the animals running around a work camp.

Shell Canada took in my brother, his 1 year old daughter and wife, fed them, fuelled their car, and got them on one of their jets, to be evacuated out to Edmonton. If you watch the news, nobody seems to point out that all the people who were trapped north of the city were completely dependant and cared for by the oil companies, even before the province called a state of emergency.

Also, regular Albertans were the ones driving up the highway with fuel water diapers, whatever was needed to help out the stranded motorists. I am grateful to the first responders who were and are still up there, giving it hell, fighting for our homes. Words can't express the feelings you get, when you see everyone banding together, helping their fellow man. Alberta has a real pioneer spirit, which shines during situations such as this.

I can't count the phone calls and text messages offering help, places to stay, whatever I need. It's been a humbling experience. I can't help but feel guilty, knowing I am relatively unharmed, when so many have lost everything. In addition to losing homes, most people have also lost their means to earn a living, probably for months. I am in the process of trying to find a way back in to volunteer for my city. So I may be offline for a while again.

[LmeaViper]

Take care bud.

[supersnake]

Glad your safe, Take Care of yourself and family

[PaulP]

Glad your ok man, my friends work for and are at sun core and still there in the camp working and helping people still, just unreal

[viper04blk]

Its all so nuts.

I never even thought of having a baby and not having diapers for days on the side of a highway.........

[Fatboy 18]

Best wishes for the future