N.L. woman worries as husband fights fires in Fort McMurray

Seeking refuge from a wildfire that threatens her home, Newfoundland-born Susanne Chaffey can only worry for her husband who stayed behind to fight the fire.

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Chaffey fled her home in the Parsons Creek neighbourhood of Fort McMurray on Wednesday, heading north to an oilsands mining camp as fires approached the city.

Now in Calgary, but separated from her husband, the Grand Falls-Windsor native worries as the massive wildfire continues to grow.

"We've been together quite a long time, and it's the first time we've ever had to separate like this," Chaffey told CBC News Network on Friday while fighting back tears.

Her husband, Dale Chaffey, is a member of Fort McMurray'sfire department.

As convoys of evacuees travelled down the town's main road on Friday, hestayedbehind to try to protect as much as possible.

• Fort McMurray exodus: Convoy of evacuees get 1st glimpse of fire-ravaged city

"I've been begging him to contact me, at least on a hourly basis, but there have been times where we are not hearing from him for five hours," Chaffey said."And we're wondering."

Worried, sick

Along with thousands of others, Chaffey and her two young children first drove north to reunite with her father-in-law.

They've since made their way to Calgary, more than 700 kilometres south, after hours of travel in their vehicle.

• Fort McMurray residents made tough choices on what to take from home

She says the experience has shaken the couple's daughter and son.

""My son has been throwing up. They are both not eating well. Their schedule is completely off."

The inconsistent updates she's getting from her husband haven't been helping either.

"At one point, the fire became Tornado-like and they had to run. They had to drop their equipment and just get out of there," she said.

"So those are the things that run through my head when I'm not hearing from him."

'Extremely difficult'

Chaffey says the evacuation, and her separation from her husband, has been "extremely difficult."

• 'It's been torture': N.L. families worry for loved ones fleeing Fort McMurray

At first, not only did she have to leave her husband, but she also had to sit in slow-moving traffic while fires raged nearby.

A normally-quick run through town took over three hours, she said.

"You see flames the sky is lit up with orange. And I honestly didn't think we'd get down the hill in time."

• Videos from Fort McMurray: See gripping footage on our YouTube channel

Chaffey's since arrived safely in Calgary, but she's still constantly thinking about her husband back home.

"He's operating on very little sleep, but this is his job, and he's said that a number of times. 'I have to do this, I don't have a choice.'"