Red Cross funds study into how Fort McMurray wildfire affected indigenous people
FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. — Melanie Dene still remembers the harrowing ordeal of driving through fiery hell during the evacuation of Fort McMurray six months ago with her two young daughters.
The chaos of traffic-choked roads, the thick smoke from the massive northern Alberta wildfire and flames so hot that her car stalled — its engine on fire — are all still fresh in her mind.
“It was scary and I was like ‘Oh my God,” she said. “I just started praying and telling my girls that it was going to be OK.
“There was just fire dropping everywhere. I just can’t get that image out of my head. My first thought was we are going to die.”