Shelburne County Evacuees wonder if their homes are standing
As wildfires rage across Shelburne County, many evacuees question whether their homes are still standing.
“The level of stress and anxiety is overwhelming at times,” said Trudy Peterson.
“You can’t focus on that but when you do, it’s like you’re living somebody else’s life.” She said.
Firefighters are trying to tame three large wildfires—the largest is Barrington Lake fire, which as of mid-Thursday afternoon was more than 20,000 hectares.
The latest fire started Wednesday afternoon near Sandy Point, prompting evacuations, including 15 inpatients at Roseway Hospital.
As of Thursday, RCMP spokesperson said about 5,500-5,600 people have had to flee. That’s about 40 per cent of Shelburne County’s population.
As water bombers attack the fire from the air, Debbie Nickerson and her husband sat in their truck along highway 103, watching and wondering about their home.
The two live one minute away from where fire destroyed a bridge on Port Clyde Road in Clyde River.
“I’m afraid we may not have our house there,” said Nickerson.
Her concern matches hundreds of people across Shelburne County.
“We’re literally in a battle for our lives, and for our properties and for our homes,” said Shaun Hatfield, a councillor for the municipality of Barrington.
Hatfield said one thing that’s bigger than the fire is people’s love of community and family.
“We are standing together and supporting each other in the best ways we can during this time and we’re not going to go down without a good fight,” said Hatfield.
While some know they’ve lost their homes, cottages, or both, many are like
Trudy Peterson. She has no idea.
“It makes you feel sick,” said Peterson. She was forced to run from the fire twice.
“My heart goes out to all the people out there who already lost their homes,” Peterson said. “I could be in that boat too, I don’t know yet.”
As water bombers fight the fire from the air, crews on the ground are building lines around the fires to contain them.
“Again they’re not guaranteed stops but it’s going to give us a whole lot better chance,” said Rockwood.
Besides the local crews, DNR firefighters and air support from both New Brunswick and Newfoundland are on the way.
“Really happy to hear that our 20 pack is back from the NWT. They’re inbound right now and they’re going to be right on the line early this afternoon and working, pounding away and really happy to hear we have 17 of our American neighbours coming in,” said Rockwood.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.