Far from home, Ontario natives living in Kelowna, B.C., recount wildfire experiences
CBC
Growing up in London, Ont., couldn't have prepared Liam Groenewegen for the reality of wildfire season in British Columbia.
The London native and recent graduate has lived in Kelowna for five years, where he studied environmental science and geology, and now works in mineral exploration.
"Coming from London where I've never seen a wildfire before, to having a huge wall of flames knocking on your doorstep, it's an apocalyptic, kind of scary experience, for sure," said Groenewegen.
As of Friday, a significant number of homes had been destroyed by a fast-burning wildfire in West Kelowna, while crews braced for what the B.C. Wildfire Service predicted would be the most challenging days of the province's fire season. More than 2,400 properties were under an evacuation order and more than 4,800 properties under an evacuation alert due to the McDougall Creek wildfire.
While he's seen wildfires in the past, and isn't in an area of Kelowna yet affected by an evacuation order, the prospect of having to pack up his life and flee is on his doorstep, said Groenewegen.
"I've never personally been on an evacuation order, but me and my roommates decided once the fire crossed the lake, it might not be a bad idea to start packing up a few things to make sure we have gas in our vehicles to get out of town."
Living with the threat posed by wildfires — and the sight of blackened skies and towering flames — has become part of life in the summer, but that doesn't make it any easier when you're staring it in the face, added Groenewegen.
"There's a bit of a sense of helplessness. There's not really a whole lot your average everyday person can do. It's kind of best to leave things for the firefighters. They're doing an amazing job," he said.
For Chantelle Ludwig, the prospect of having to evacuate with her two-year-old child has her on the edge of her seat.
"We've got all of our really essential things packed, definitely checking the news constantly, talking to colleagues and friends [and] seeing who's being evacuated," said Ludwig.
The social worker originally from Hamilton moved to Kelowna 10 years ago. Since then, she's had to re-learn what summer means — wildfires.
She's also had to take special care of her and her clients' mental health.
"It has a huge effect here. I really wonder how it's going to impact the people who I'm working with day in, day out, and how they cope," she said.
The mental health impacts of natural disasters are front and centre in B.C., and the Northwest Territories, where wildfires have also spurred mass evacuations.
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