N.S. wildfire evacuees find comfort in one another and the generosity of their community
Evacuees at the Sandy Wickens Memorial Arena in Barrington, N.S., are out of the fire zone but now face their own battle — how to cope with so much uncertainty, and what lies ahead.
“I’m terrified to the bones that we lose our house ,but until now, it’s OK,” said Julie Jeschke, who left her home in Eel Bay in a rush Sunday.
“We hope and pray for rain,” she said.
The evacuees who’ve been turning to the arena for food, clothing or conversation are as young as 5-years-old-and as old as 99. Donald Stocker falls into the latter category.
Fire forced the 99-year-old out of his home in Port LaTour. His positive attitude has brought a lot of inspiration to other evacuees.
“Keep up hope that everything turns out okay,” Stocker said.
Sadly, many people like Paul Locke already know of his new reality. His home is gone.
“My wife -- she’s not taking it too good. I have days that I haven’t been taking it very good either,” Locke said. “My nerves are getting bad.”
Roger Atwood, who’s also an evacuee, took Locke and his wife in at the home where they’re staying.
“I found he didn’t have anywhere to stay so I went and got home, took him with us,” Atwood said.
He was home when the fire was on the move.
“It sounded like a freight train. It’s just roaring,” he said.
Atwood has since seen pictures of his home and heard water was dropped on it – but doesn’t know much else.
CTV News asked him what keeps him going.
“Hopes, the wife, other people,” Atwood said. “I cry a lot. Can’t help it.”
In many spots, homes still stand. Police escorted paramedic Paula Sutherland from Barrington to her home in Clyde River.
“Homes are safe on the 103. People that I know, I’ve already messaged them and told them and sent them pictures of their homes,” Sutherland said. “Past my house, I can’t answer that, I don’t know.”
She praised the firefighters.
“The strength that they have to save our houses is unbelievable,” she said.
The Sandy Wickens Memorial Arena is full of donated food and clothing. It has also offered evacuees a lot of comfort at a time of need.
Shaun Hatfield, a councillor with the Municipality of Barrington and a minister, said the arena is a metaphor of human love.
“The community has wide-open hands. There’s nothing that anyone needs here that if they ask for it, it’s not theirs, and I’m talking about everything from homes to wallets to material resources, whatever a neighbour needs, it’s given freely with an open hand,” Hatfield said.
“People are so giving. Walmart has given, given and given. Sobeys. No Frills. It’s just too many to name that have given,” said Sutherland.
“Restaurants. People walking in here with food, bags of food, bags of clothing.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca