Newfoundland woman and kids escape Fort Mac; husband stays to fight fire

Susanne Chaffey left her home in Parsons Creek, Fort McMurray, with her two young children in tow,with no idea when she'll return.

• 'Catastrophic' Fort McMurray wildfire surpasses 10,000 hectares

Chaffey, who is originally from Grand Falls-Windsor, is in the same situation as so many others, as wildfires ravage the northern part of Alberta.

Chaffey, along with her nearly five-year-old sonReggieand two-year-old daughter Annie, are heading south out of Fort McMurray.

Last night they were battling a blaze in Wood Buffalo and they had to drop all their gear and run.- Susanne Chaffey

What's more, Chaffey's husband, Dale, is a firefighter and she has no idea when she will be reunited with him again.

''[My husband]said 'Get out as quickly as you can,'"Chaffeysaid Wednesday afternoon, on the phone to CBC News.

Chaffey returned to herneighbourhood of Parsons Creek Wednesday afternoon to get her dogand her in-law's dog.

As she was driving out, only RCMP officers and first responders remained in the town.

"Driving out of FortMcMurray,and to see the devastation, it was very difficult," Chaffey said, fighting back tears.

Firefighters continue to fight nasty blaze

"This is our community and we've lived there for 10 years, and just to think of the rebuilding that will be necessary, it's devastating. It's actually hard to think about what the process is from here."

The hourly updates Chaffey had been receiving from Dale have become less frequent, she said.

He's been going from neighbourhoodtoneighbourhood, dousing fires that have been crawling throughFortMcMurray.

"Last night they were battling a blaze in Wood Buffalo and they had to drop all their gear and run," Chaffey said.

"That's unsettling to know thatwe're going to be 500 kilometres away from him."

Dale wasn't supposed to be working, Chaffey said, but when duty called, he went in straight away.

It's "in his blood" to do the job, Chaffey said,"until they kick him out."

"Hesaid, 'Igottagoin Sue. I can't stay here.' I said, 'But you don't have to go in.' He said, 'I do. This is my job.'"

She finds solace in the fact that she and her children will be surrounded by family her brother and sister-in-law as well as Dale's parents are among those fleeing the area.

"We're going to get through this, and we're going to come back stronger than ever."