Ottawa Senators' Chris Phillips 'helpless' as hometown of Fort McMurray burns

Senators defenceman Chris Phillips is among Ottawaresidents with ties to Fort McMurraywho are anxiously awaiting word from family and friends asa ragingwildfire has forced 60,000 people out of the Alberta city.

Phillips, who is originally from the northern Alberta community,which is under an evacuation order, told CBC Ottawa's Hillary Johnstone that he felt "helpless" as he sawimages on television and social media of his burning hometown.

Phillips's sister, her husband and her three young children were forced to flee theTimberleaneighbourhood on Tuesday evening as the fire approached.

"It's really tough to watch. We grew up in Beacon Hill and that area up there is getting it really bad right now. A lot of homes are gone already," Phillips said on Tuesday evening.

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He spoke with his sister on the phone briefly as she packed up her truck withherfamily and left their home.

"To be brutally honest, [it was] not a great conversation," Phillips said.

"The kids were crying, and very upset and scared. So obviously tough for them, but not knowing exactly how they're doing is scary on our end,too."

Residents 'skeptical' their homes will survive

That feeling of helplessness was echoed by Carleton Place, Ont.,resident Kyle Coady.

His brother, sister-in-law and their two young children also live in Fort McMurray.

Coady said his brother sent him "shocking" photos from the highway as they tried to make their way south to Edmonton.

"They're driving and there's fire on the side of the road, extremely thick smoke," Coady told CBC News. "And when they're trying to driveit's very low visibility."

Coady said his brother made it out of Fort McMurray safely, but he addedhe's "extremely skeptical that he'll have a house to go back to."