A family of four arrives Tuesday at Prince Albert's Holiday Inn. (Lara Fominoff/ CKOM Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Fire Response

Online fundraiser launched to help evacuees

May 18, 2021 | 5:00 PM

A Grade 12 student at Carlton High school is trying to do her part to help the community.

Abigail Miller started a gofundme campaign to assist both the City with repairs, as well as the dozens of people forced to evacuate their homes. Miller told paNOW she felt compelled to do something after seeing photos of the fire on social media.

“A good friend of mine has been evacuated … just a whole lot of people that I know are stuck trying to find somewhere else to go,” she said.

Stories from the evacuees

Harold Fisher lives alone on Cloverdale Road and explained based on the huge “billows” of smoke in the area, he knew an evacuation order would be coming. Right away he explained his first instinct was to grab the things that could not be replaced like photo albums, a computer hard drive, and some other important files.

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‘”You can only grab so much stuff to get out,” he said.

A photo Monday evening of the smoke filled sky. (Submitted photo/ Amy Fidyk)

Fortunately the fire was kept away from the home thanks to a southwest wind, but Fisher and his neighbours watched nervously Tuesday afternoon as the wind began to pick up, and a cloud of smoke appeared to increase in size.

“I don’t know how many metres we’ve got between our house and the fire right now, and our neighbours. I think we’d be lucky if we got 500 metres,” he said.

Kim Morrall’s property is on Valleyview Road and recalled looking out her back window, watching the flames grow significantly in a matter of minutes.

“It was very scary to leave, knowing you may not see your house again,” she said.

Morrall described feelings of panic and anxiety, as she quickly assessed what items she needed to pack.

“In the back of your head you’re thinking this could be all gone so like what do I need. There’s just so many thoughts in your head, you don’t even have time to really think. You are just go, go, go,” she said.

Morrall’s husband and son were away at the time, but thankfully her two other kids were there to help. Having found temporary refuge at a friend’s house, Morrall said the outpouring of support from the community has been incredible

“Living in that area you’ve always known [a wildfire] is a possibility but it’s like you still sorta think that won’t ever happen to me and of course that’s not true,” she said.

According to Tuesday’s update from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, the fire has grown to over 40 square kilometres in size, or roughly half the size of the City of Prince Albert.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell