By Rebbeca Marroquin

Family loses six cabins in northern wildfire

Sep 11, 2017 | 5:32 PM

A wildfire in a remote area north west of Pelican Narrows has taken a family’s home and livelihood. 

Lillian Sewap, an evacuee from Pelican Narrows staying in P.A, said the cabins her 86-year-old mother-in-law built with her family are a “total loss.” She said her husband Isaiah, who is battling the fires in Pelican Narrows, was transported to the site in Uskik Lake to see the damage. He was the first family member to witness the loss.

“I’m sure my mother-in-law is very broken… Where is home going to be? That was her home,” she said.

Sewap said her family’s commercial fishing equipment was also burned in the Uskik fire, one of several burning in the north east.

Her family evacuated in groups starting late last Tuesday. Meanwhile, she stayed back with her 14-year-old daughter.

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“My daughter got scared and I just told her, ‘don’t be scared I’m with you… if we have to run we will run,’” she said.

Sewap was hesitant to leave her community because she thought the experience would be very stressful, but also didn’t want to leave her husband, who is working 12 hour shifts battling fires every day.

Sewap is trying to keep herself busy by driving evacuees anywhere they need to go in the city.  

“I see a lot of parents who are so tired, I see a lot of children,” she said while holding back tears. “It is very hard”

She credits hard-working volunteers with the Red Cross and other organizations who are putting in countless hours to help every day.

“We are so taken care of it’s so unbelievable,” she said. “They’re doing a great job”

rebbeca.marroquin@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @becamarroquin