Evacuees from Wabasca-Desmarais and Sandy Lake were sent south to Calling Lake May 29 to avoid wildfires threatening their community. Here's what they have said while staying there.
(L-R) Richard McLeod Jr., Syrena McLeod, Richard McLeod, Aris McLeod, Darren Beaver, Carly Stewart, Carla Beaver, Precious Yellow Knee and Jenna Auger stand beside the tents where they are sleeping by the Jay Bird Memorial Arena in Calling Lake May 30. The group evacuated from Wabasca early that morning.
Carla Beaver said she spoke with police in Wabasca the night of May 29, letting them know the family of seven would leave when they got a ride the next morning. At 4 a.m., she and her family were woken up by firefighters telling them they had to leave for Calling Lake immediately, taking the bus.
“It’s good to be together, but for the kids it’s cold,” she said May 30. “I don’t have anything to keep the baby warm, like a snowsuit. I didn’t grab it before we left.”
Beaver said her mother is letting the family stay in her tent, as they did not bring a tent with them.
“We weren’t really prepared for this to happen again,” she said.
She also said she’s worried about her home.
“We couldn’t take our dog, because we got kind of rushed out of there, too, and we didn’t have our own transportation,” she said.
(L-R) Gilman Cardinal, Fredelle Auger, Charlie Auger, Dalton Auger, Deanna Auger, and Melba and Fred Auger were in the “Auger Village” on the east side of Highway 813 by Calling Lake June 1.
Charlie Auger’s mother had 16 children.
Camping out in Calling Lake after being evacuated from Wabasca, those siblings, their children and grandchildren were all around his property.
Sixty-four of them, in fact.
“They were here before me,” he said June 1. “I was in Wabasca. I’m an evacuee, too.”
Speaking about the fires by Wabasca, he said that his late brother’s cabin was in the scorched area and was gone. One of his relatives pulled out a map that marked cabins inside the orange line.
When the evacuation of Wabasca was called May 29, Auger, who is a truck driver, said a few people called and asked if would be OK to stay on his property. Now dubbed “Auger Village” with signs posted by the gate, there are 18 holiday trailers and three tents.
“I don’t mind — we did the same thing last time,” Auger said, noting that the people running things have been good about making sure there is water and food for evacuees.
“We’re just about all family here, friends and family,” he said. “I don’t mind. A lot of visiting, anyway.”
Gwen Madore sits with her 11-day-old son Oakley Madore June 1. The two evacuees are staying on Charlie Auger’s property. “I was only home for a few days, and then I had to come here,” she said.
Pamela Masuda is an evacuee from Wabasca at the Agriplex.
She was among the first in her family to reach Athabasca after continuing from evacuation from evacuation.
Late May 29, Masuda left Wabasca and made it to Simon Beaver’s campground near Sandy Lake, which is southeast of Wabasca.
“He extended his generosity for free camping for people,” she said. But around 6 a.m., they were under orders to evacuate again.
“There was people banging on the doors,” Masuda said.
Masuda said she felt Calling Lake had done well with their evacuation aid.
“Calling Lake did a good job, I thought,” she said. “We got through there really fast. They fed everyone a hot breakfast — a cold breakfast and a hot breakfast.”
Masuda planned to stay put until more family arrived.
“The closer I am to home, the better,” Masuda said. “Family comes together, right?”
Despite her positivity to the evacuation efforts, Masuda said she was still shaken.
“It was fairly easy for us,” she said. “We’ve gone through it before. It was a little frightening for the elders in the community. (I’m) kind of feeling overwhelmed and sad about some of the losses back home already.”
She said she had learned minutes before that one of her uncle’s cabins had burnt down.
“It makes you want to cry,” she said.
On May 29 after being evacuated from Wabasca, Eric Gladue was in the Jay Bird Memorial Arena watching over five grandchildren — Rayden Houle, Travis Yellowknee, Natazia Yellowknee, Landon Gladue and Riley Junior Gladue Yellowknee. He spoke about how well Landon is doing in school, and how big Riley’s hands are getting.
Eric Gladue said May 29 had been a long day.
That morning, there had been a funeral in the community.
That night, just before midnight, he stood in the parking lot of the Jay Bird Arena in Calling Lake, watching over five grandchildren.
“These young guys haven’t eaten yet, and I don’t know what to do or where to get food,” he said.
Gladue was one of thousands of people who left the Wabasca area May 29, given an evacuation order after the McMillan wildfire spread until it was within a few kilometres of the reserves.
Gladue said he found out about the possibility of evacuation from the father of his grandchildren, who is a crew leader fighting the fires. Gladue said people also came door-to-door to make sure they left.
He said he and his family had to borrow $200 to get gas for his vehicle to go to Calling Lake, adding he was given the option to take a bus but did not want to leave his vehicle behind.
“That’s $200 off my medical care,” he said.
Gladue added he felt the fire evacuation plan was inadequate.
“Overall, it could be better,” he said. “They should have a permanent plan, like money put aside, an emergency fund … There has to be a better way. This is the second time in four years.”
He also said he evacuated Wabasca in 2015, and it cost him $1,200 to do so.
“You think they would have learned from four years ago,” he said. “I went home broke. No groceries — no nothing. And when we got there, we didn’t get any money for nothing, either.”
He said they would be sleeping in a tent or their vehicle for the night May 29.
Malayla Beaver, Taya Noskiye, Gladys Beaver, Drayton Gladue, Larry Yellowknee and Dorothy Yellowknee eat lunch at the Calling Lake Recreation Centre June 1.
Dorothy Yellowknee said her family learned they might have to evacuate at a meeting May 28. She saw a notification on Facebook May 29.
She said she and her family were comfortable, but she was worried about the fires and hoped to get home soon.
“There’s nothing to do — just sit around and think,” she said.
Roxy Atkinson and Riley Cardinal stand with one-year-old Skyley Atkinson, three-year-old Shylee Atkinson (on blue car) and four-year-old Cashius Atkinson (in red) May 30.
Arriving from Wabasca May 29 with a camper, Roxy Atkinson said she and her family they are doing well.
About two minutes after this photo was taken, Cashius stumbled on the pavement and fell, getting a little scrape on his knee that left him in tears.
— With files from Will Gordon
