Nova Scotians flee Fort McMurray as wildfires burn homes

Nova Scotians living and working in Fort McMurray, Alta. have joined thousands of other residents under a mandatory evacuation order as a raging wildfire threatens homes in some neighbourhoods.

Wendy and Robert Kirby, originally from Dartmouth, have lived in the neighbourhood of Abasand for a few years about five kilometres away from where the fire started.

"Our home is gone," Wendy Kirby told CBC News on Tuesday night. "This morning we got up to blue skies. A bit of smoke in the distance, but nothing at all."

'In shock'

Kirby met her husband for lunch, and by the time she returned she was told she had just 30 minutes to leave.

"When I was packing, you could see the flames a half a kilometre away. The flames were 10 feet above the tree line. You know it's gone," she said of her home.

The Kirbys are now on their way north to get away from the blaze.

"I'm actually, I think, in shock. Just sort of on adrenaline. I got to say hats off to the fire departments. You know, they're going up in to the fire while we're all trying to head out."

• Fort McMurray homes destroyed as wildfire forces mandatory evacuation orders

1,800 hectares

Homes in Beacon Hill and the Centennial Trailer Park have been destroyed. Mandatory evacuation orders have been rolling out Tuesday afternoon.

The exact size of the fire is not known, but late-Monday estimates put the fire at about 1,800 hectares.

As of Tuesday evening, around 29,000 have been forced from their homes making it the largest evacuation from wildfire in the province's history.

Residents have been told to go to Noralta Lodge 20 km north of Fort McMurray. Others are being sent on the Gray Wolf Lodge as Noralta fills up.

'Reminds me of Pompeii'

Brianna Sidney, who is originally from Sydney, lives in Fort McMurray with her husband Matt a firefighter. They have a 10-month-old baby.

She said they are working on evacuation plan and their belongings are packed. But her husband is downtown with fire crews.

"He just reported to me, that there's an area downtown called Waterways and unfortunately most of it is gone and the crew was asked to pull out."

"I've been saying it kind of reminds me of Pompeii," she said. "There's large pieces of debris, ashes are all over."

'The gas station blew up'

Rod Gale, speaking from his home in Cape Breton, works in Fort McMurray. He has a "great number" of friends out there. His brother, John Gale, had a dramatic escape on Tuesday.

"He was driving, literally, through flames on the way to the airport. He drove through a fire ball. And as he was passing through a neighbourhood in Gregoire, the gas station blew up," he said.

His brother has made it to the airport safely, he said. But Gale has other concerns.

"I'm really worried for the thousands of Cape Bretoners and Maritimers that are working in the oil patch in Fort McMurray right now.

"You know, this is their livelihood. This is my livelihood. But more importantly, I'm worried about their safety."

No way south

Taunya Leeann Kooiker, originally from New Waterford, Cape Breton, rushed home from work on Tuesday afternoon after the order was given around 3:40 p.m.

"I was very scared. I was taking a panic attack. Trying not to rush or do anything that would not keep my mind clear while driving. And just get home to my husband and my dog," Kooiker said.

Speaking to CBC News on a cellphone in their truck, Kooiker and her husband had planned to head south to Edmonton. The fire was just one neighbourhood away from her home.

They hit the road south, but had to turn around upon learning the fire crossed Highway 63.

"So now we have no choice but to go north," she said, adding that they'll head to where she works in Fort McKay to seek shelter.

"There's accidents everywhere. We're passing an accident now. There's one car all smashed in people are just rushing trying to get out."