A woman, formerly from Steinbach, was among those who fled Flin Flon Wednesday, as wildfires burned out of control nearby.
The evacuation order came down Wednesday afternoon, and Helga Wiens who lives in the city of about 5,000 people, says by then she had already packed her bags.
Wiens says the pre-evacuation alert came down one day earlier, on Tuesday. Wiens, who works at a bank, says her boss happens to sit on Creighton City Council. On Wednesday at approximately 3 pm he came back to work and told staff that an evacuation alert would soon come down for Flin Flon.
"So, we shut down the bank immediately and all went home," she recalls. "I had already packed some stuff, but I threw a few extra things in that I could think of and hit the road."
The Flin Flon fire was first detected on Tuesday. Wiens says on that day she could see billows of smoke and flames from her apartment. And even though the fires were maybe one kilometre away, Wiens says the wind was blowing away from Flin Flon and as a result she could not smell smoke in the air. But then, Wednesday morning the winds shifted, and the air turned very smoky.
"It was around noon when it really started to get smoky and then I started thinking to myself, 'I think we're going to get an evacuation alert,'" she says. "So, then it happened shortly after that."
Wiens describes the feeling of fleeing her home as very surreal. She notes they have had fires nearby in recent years but never close enough to force an evacuation.
"We've never been able to see the flames," she says. "So, when we could see them, it was very surreal, it didn't feel like it was happening, that it was real."
What do you bring with you when you do not know how long you will be gone or even if you will still have a home when you return? She notes that in itself is a strange feeling. Wiens says she made sure to pack clothes, her medication, and CPAP machine. All of her legal documents are already stored in a safety deposit box at the bank.
"As much as I would love to grab more stuff, I feel like everything else is replaceable," says Wiens. "I know some of my friends said they had jewelry and stuff from grandparents, etc. So, they did pack that. I feel like everything is replaceable, other than a few things that maybe aren't."
Yet, Wiens says it is hard to know exactly what to bring with you, realizing you cannot pack your entire apartment.
Wiens says it was extremely difficult to leave Flin Flon, noting that has been her home now for many years.
"I really love the community," she adds, noting it gives her a sick feeling to think of the fires destroying her city.
Wiens says when she left Flin Flon, she was part of a convoy of vehicles heading to The Pas that was miles long. She eventually made it to Winnipeg where she is now staying with family. Wiens says along the way she stopped at two different gas stations and both times she was asked if she was coming from Flin Flon. Both gas stations informed her that they were going to stay open as late as they had to in order that all Flin Flon evacuees had enough fuel to get to where they were going.
"I feel like the whole province has really stepped up and we really feel it," she says. "We really feel it."
Wiens says she is thankful to have family in Winnipeg where she can stay, noting that others are staying in hotels and shelters. Wiens says some residents do not have their own vehicles and were being bussed out yesterday and today.
Meanwhile, Wiens says she has been told that as of this morning, the fire has not crossed the perimeter yet but is very close. She notes winds are supposed to change direction Thursday night, which could push the flames toward the city.
Her prayer is for the safety of those who are left behind in Flin Flon, whether it is the firefighters or those making the decisions.
"At the end of the day it's just stuff, but I can't imagine if people lose their homes," she adds.
With files from Corny Rempel