Fort McMurray, AB, resident Andrew Leppard said he was working on site at Westward Electric when his boss called him to inform that he would be sent home because of the wildfire. When Leppard’s boss advised him to go home, he said it was awesome. “I noticed that my staff is getting nervous and apprehensive,” said Leppard in a Tuesday interview. “I thought that it was a very good idea.” While money is one element, he said a house and family is another. He thanked his boss for giving him the rest of the week off. One hour after arriving home, he received an alert saying the two neighbourhoods beside him were being evacuated. Because he has been through a wildfire evacuation before, he decided to be proactive and get out of Fort McMurray. As he drove on the highway out of Fort McMurray, smoke lined the two sides of it. Visibility was down to one kilometre. His vehicle’s cabin had a strong smoke smell inside of it. However, the terrible conditions were over soon. Because he is a retired paramedic, he said he is used to high-stress situations such as this. When he was sitting in traffic, there was a family sitting beside him with an older lady who was crying. He said this evacuation is more organized than the 2016 one. This is because it is less panicked, the traffic is more controlled, and police officers are located at every intersection. Lac La Biche has set up an evacuation centre. While he was sad to leave his home, he said he “has a lot more faith in Wood Buffalo’s organization this time.” He is heading to Edmonton and will join his friend on Vancouver Island until Victoria Day. After Victoria Day, he will reassess his response. He said Fort McMurray looks “almost like a war zone.” Helicopters and waterbombers have been flying over it for the last few days. When he saw the helicopters and waterbombers, he said he thought an evacuation order would be coming soon. His bags have been packed since Friday. He put his odds of returning home at the end of Victoria Day at 50%. It depends on the winds. Leppard concluded by saying the evacuation is an inconvenience, but it was needed. “I think I still have more to live,” he said. The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) put out an evacuation order for four communities in Fort McMurray due to the wildfire on Tuesday. READ MORE: UPDATED: Fort McMurray orders wildfire evacuation in four communitiesThe RMWB said Abasand, Beacon Hill, Prairie Creek and Grayling Terrace have moved to an evacuation order, and residents must leave by 4 p.m. while following signs, designated evacuation routes, and instructions from emergency responders. If people are not in an area under an evacuation order, the RMWB said they should remain in place until these communities evacuate first to facilitate a safe evacuation. It said evacuees should register online..This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
Fort McMurray, AB, resident Andrew Leppard said he was working on site at Westward Electric when his boss called him to inform that he would be sent home because of the wildfire. When Leppard’s boss advised him to go home, he said it was awesome. “I noticed that my staff is getting nervous and apprehensive,” said Leppard in a Tuesday interview. “I thought that it was a very good idea.” While money is one element, he said a house and family is another. He thanked his boss for giving him the rest of the week off. One hour after arriving home, he received an alert saying the two neighbourhoods beside him were being evacuated. Because he has been through a wildfire evacuation before, he decided to be proactive and get out of Fort McMurray. As he drove on the highway out of Fort McMurray, smoke lined the two sides of it. Visibility was down to one kilometre. His vehicle’s cabin had a strong smoke smell inside of it. However, the terrible conditions were over soon. Because he is a retired paramedic, he said he is used to high-stress situations such as this. When he was sitting in traffic, there was a family sitting beside him with an older lady who was crying. He said this evacuation is more organized than the 2016 one. This is because it is less panicked, the traffic is more controlled, and police officers are located at every intersection. Lac La Biche has set up an evacuation centre. While he was sad to leave his home, he said he “has a lot more faith in Wood Buffalo’s organization this time.” He is heading to Edmonton and will join his friend on Vancouver Island until Victoria Day. After Victoria Day, he will reassess his response. He said Fort McMurray looks “almost like a war zone.” Helicopters and waterbombers have been flying over it for the last few days. When he saw the helicopters and waterbombers, he said he thought an evacuation order would be coming soon. His bags have been packed since Friday. He put his odds of returning home at the end of Victoria Day at 50%. It depends on the winds. Leppard concluded by saying the evacuation is an inconvenience, but it was needed. “I think I still have more to live,” he said. The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) put out an evacuation order for four communities in Fort McMurray due to the wildfire on Tuesday. READ MORE: UPDATED: Fort McMurray orders wildfire evacuation in four communitiesThe RMWB said Abasand, Beacon Hill, Prairie Creek and Grayling Terrace have moved to an evacuation order, and residents must leave by 4 p.m. while following signs, designated evacuation routes, and instructions from emergency responders. If people are not in an area under an evacuation order, the RMWB said they should remain in place until these communities evacuate first to facilitate a safe evacuation. It said evacuees should register online..This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
