Front Burner - Wildfires force Alberta state of emergency

Episode Date: May 9, 2023

The weather turned hot suddenly this year in Alberta and it is already remarkably dry. Wildfires, some burning out of control, have forced people to flee their homes, triggered a provincial state of emergency, and now there’s a request for the military to move in. CBC Edmonton host and producer Nancy Carlson is no stranger to wildfires in her home province. She covered the 2016 fires that swept Fort McMurray. She was evacuated last week when fires threatened her neighbourhood. Nancy explains what led to this season and how Albertans like her are managing with the threat of what’s already being called an ‘unprecedented’ fire season. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

In the Dragon's Den, a simple pitch can lead to a life-changing connection. Watch new episodes of Dragon's Den free on CBC Gem. Brought to you in part by National Angel Capital Organization, empowering Canada's entrepreneurs through angel investment and industry connections. This is a CBC Podcast. Hi, I'm Alex Panetta. But Edson was very bad. It was hard to breathe there. The fire went just around our house. Apparently it just missed our house.

But we're not sure if it's still burning there or not. Everybody be safe and evacuate. Please don't stay. Get out. Nobody can come and save you. Please don't stay. Get out. Nobody can come and save you if you decide to stay. There's a state of emergency in Alberta. As of midday Monday, there are over 100 wildfires burning. Dozens are out of control. Almost 30,000 people have been evacuated.

More are on alert. First time ever. I don't really know what to do. It doesn't really feel real yet. Clothes can be replaced, everything can be replaced, but pictures can't. So I got four totes of photo albums in the car. May is often a bad time for wildfires in Alberta, but the amount burned this year is mind-boggling. On average, by this time of year, about 800 hectares will have burned,

which is like 1,500 football fields. But this year, so far, it's hundreds of times worse. More than 375,000 hectares have burned. Using the football field example, that's over 700,000 fields. Like half of Algonquin Park. More than half of Banff National Park. And it's growing by the minute. Nancy Carlson is a host and producer for the CBC Television News at Six. Hi, Nancy.

Hi. Okay, so let's start with you. I just want to say how much I appreciate you being here with us today because you're not just busy covering this story. You were personally affected by this story. So what happened? Yeah, so on Friday, I was leaving work and I was driving home. And it was interesting because all day I'd been keeping track of where the different evacuation alerts were coming from. And none were by my house, but there was a very distinct plume of smoke in the direction I was heading when I was heading home. And there was a stream of cars heading in the opposite direction. And I get home and you can see, I didn't see any flames,

but you could see the smoke behind our house. And so my fiance and I were, you know, kind of thinking, what are we going to do? You know, how are we going to know? So we're looking at the emergency alerts that it was across the highway from us. So they had to evacuate and we go outside again, you know, it's very tense. We're kind of getting a few things ready. And then the sheriffs came and knocked on our door and said we had to leave. That moment is, and I know that this may sound strange, but, you know, like, I cover this in the news. You know, you hear these stories of like, you know, yeah, we had the knock on the door and, you know, we had to collect what we could and just, you know, hit the road. And we did have a little bit of time. So we were grateful for that. But we started packing things into the car and it's surprising how quickly that half hour we were allotted went, you know. So we went to go stay with my parents. They were very gracious about that.

And then the next morning, gratefully, we were able to go back home. And there was no damage to our home or to our neighbor's houses within our subdivision. So, yeah, it was really scary. Yeah. And so the flames got really close and then, and then the neighborhood was fine, if I understand correctly, like everything around you was okay. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So, okay. Let's back up a bit and talk about the weather. What has been like so far this spring? Like, yeah. What's it been like in your area? Yeah. So in April it was raining. It was kind of cold, kind of, you know, it was snowy, just didn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel for our long winters and then may hit. And we're looking at mid twenties to high

twenties, even hitting the 30 degree mark here in the city of Edmonton and beyond. So to the north, yeah. And I grew up in Edmonton. And so I, I, you know, I don't want to date myself, but I remember when I was a kid, we didn't see these temperatures until July, August, maybe. And I mean, hitting 30, that was like a, you know, that was a thing. And so it has been incredibly hot over the past few weeks. It is so dry out there. I run in a rural area and all of the sloughs, they're dry. The ducks have nowhere to go. The geese have nowhere to go. It's shocking. And then the wind on top of that as well. And of course, I'm in Edmonton in kind of central northern Alberta. But I mean, you go to the north, it's even worse up there.

And to the west, it's worse in that direction too. It's been unprecedented. It's crazy. Like I live in a pretty warm city, Washington, D.C., and 30 degrees in April or May, it happens, but it's very warm there. I can't even imagine this happening in Alberta. So at first, I was thinking

it was pretty early to have fires in May, but May apparently is often a bad fire month for Alberta. Is that the case? Yeah, you know what? It's really strange when it comes to weather in Alberta, because when you think, you know, there's this ongoing joke, you know, if you don't like the weather in Alberta, wait five minutes. But that is so true. And then to get into May, this is when major wildfires have typically hit the province. Slave Lake in 2011. Fort McMurray five years later. Chuck Egg Creek 2019. All burned in May. That window of danger when the snow is gone, but there's no grass on the ground or leaves on the trees yet. Two factors that can help hold moisture and slow fires from spreading.

And of course, all this is happening against the backdrop of a changing climate. Weather's been strange for years now. We're here in downtown Calgary overlooking the Bow River, just one of the rivers causing devastation throughout southern Alberta. The city has evacuated at least 25 neighbourhoods. That's about 75,000 people. An extreme heat wave is sweeping across western Canada, claiming dozens of lives as people struggle to keep cool. The unprecedented heat smashed Canada's temperature record

when the mercury hit 49 degrees Celsius. The storm that ripped across central Alberta yesterday has caused damage to dozens of vehicles and properties. A frightening journey along the QE2 stranded drivers north of Innisfail where hail the size of softballs came crashing down. And we had those infernos that swept through Fort McMurray, which you yourself covered. A wall of flame lapped at the side of Highway 63

and jumped the city's major thoroughfare. Tens of thousands were ordered to leave. The fire jumped the river, and we had basically two minutes to get home, grab our stuff, and we had to leave. And it was gridlock as they tried to get out of the city. The fire ripped into some neighborhoods, destroying homes. What do scientists expect nowadays when it comes to wildfires?

Well, I'm glad that you mentioned the Fort McMurray wildfire because that's a really good example. So in 2016, when the Fort McMurray fire was burning, you know, it was heading in one direction. And it was, you know, just, okay, this is, this is, it was predictable, I guess you could say as predictable as it could be. But then the wind changed, it jumped a creek, and then absolute chaos. And I still remember just seeing the images like this, this can't be happening. You know, this can't be happening in Alberta. And when we do hear from climate change experts, they say that when we look at these hotter temperatures, they're starting earlier. Wildfire season in Alberta has been moved up. So it used to be later. Now it's March 1st,

just to give them, you know, so that when it comes to getting assistance, if they need assistance in one way or another, like, you know, you have that support. So it's March 1st now, and you think of, again, how hot it is, how dry it is. And if winter doesn't, you know, we don't get that first snowfall, our summers are longer and hotter. It's a longer burning season. going local here the largest communities now evacuated are Drayton Valley and Edson so that's about 15,000 people right there across the province 29,000 people have been ordered out of their homes so So where are they going? Yeah, it's interesting because when you look at the geography, many people were coming to Edmonton. So you look that that's a, you know, some people said that it's an hour, hour and a half drive, something like that. I mean, to get out of the wildfire zone, it took them three hours

at least to get here because highways are closed, right? So they're having to take different detours. So yeah, so they're mainly coming to Edmonton. People from Edson were coming to Edmonton. There is an evacuee center set up in the city. They brought their pets, families, everything that they needed to. So they're staying here in the city. We have received word that in Edson, the wildfire risk has decreased a bit. It is not eliminated. So many people are going to be able to go home. That doesn't mean that they're going to have the services that are going to be provided. So, you know, it's not just going to be business as usual, but they can go back and see what's happening there. And then you also have other people, you know, they're heading north. There was one community where people were evacuated to, but then that area had to be evacuated. So then they had to go further north.

Yeah. So it's kind of just to the closest city and then to the south too. Calgary is actually opening up an evacuee center too, to offer as much help as it can as well. Okay. So we're having this conversation Monday, early afternoon, Eastern time. And, you know, there's been an impact in those communities you just mentioned and as well as as ones that are nationally famous like you know jasper uh i mean it's a real destination for tourists i would think at this time of year so what's happening there yeah there were some uh people that were going to jasper so geographically if you're looking at edson you would be heading west to go to Hinton or then west further to go to Jasper.

And because of the risk of fire, there was a chance that of power outages, of power shortages. So over the weekend, it was an incredibly stressful time because people who were even evacuated to that area, that wasn't a safe space to go. So then where did they go? Right. And I mean, then you're looking at, do they go to Banff? Well, Banff doesn't have the infrastructure to accommodate, you know, thousands of people. The other interesting thing too, is you have the people coming from, we were talking to some people in the trucking industry and they'll go through, you know, Jasper, Hinton, through Edson and carry on east. Well, the highway's closed, you know, their lives are impacted by this. So, I mean, people have been sleeping in parking lots, sleeping in their vehicles, because, I mean, like you say, they're tourist towns, right? And they're not used to having

so many people there all at once. I'm going to go. empowering Canada's entrepreneurs through angel investment and industry connections. their own household income. That's not a typo. 50%. That's because money is confusing. In my new book and podcast, Money for Couples, I help you and your partner create a financial vision together. To listen to this podcast, just search for Money for Couples. This is the second segment we've done in Alberta in just a few days, because you just had the start of an election campaign. And I want to talk about a natural disaster occurring in the midst of the campaign. So how are the two main party leaders, current Premier Danielle Smith and NDP leader Rachel Notley, how are they responding? This is interesting to see how this is playing out, because this election campaign did, it just started, you know, not that long ago.

out because this election campaign did. It just started, you know, not that long ago. They have both shared similar photos that yesterday the two leaders, the two, the leaders of the main parties there, they sat down at a table and had a discussion. So, you know, we saw that photo opportunity, not sure, you know, just the discussion of having to work together. Both leaders were at the Expo Center talking to evacuees. So it's interesting because it's an opportunity to connect with people. So on the campaign trail, but then you also have the severity of the situation. So you are seeing a little bit of that, some of these questions that people are asking, you know, So you are seeing a little bit of that, some of these questions that people are asking, you know, is it a photo app or is it a chance to talk to people and really connect with them? And going forward, what political watchers are saying is, so how is this immediacy going to play out on the campaign trail?

You know, as we get into the next few days, if the wildfire situation does ease a bit, what is that going to look like? With the increasing number of natural disasters, you're actually seeing this more often in politics. These things happen during election campaigns and leaders then have to sort of walk this fine line, right? You don't want to be accused of playing politics with a crisis. And I'm just wondering if you're seeing anything they're doing to be seen campaigning within a crisis, but doing it responsibly and not profiting off of a disaster? Yeah, I would say at this point in time, there were some campaigning was halted in the hardest hit areas, you know, because they have the urgency of having to care for their livelihood.

And so campaigning has taken a backseat. So another thing going on, and I understand it's only a small number of incidents, so I don't want to overblow it, but the RCMP have talked about some looting in Drayton Valley in particular. Last night in Drayton Valley, we arrested four individuals for break and enter at a local business. I want to assure I want to assure that your police officers are in your communities patrolling, securing perimeters. So how are evacuees handling that news? Well, there's a lot of, as you can imagine, there's a lot of misinformation that is being spread. So people not really knowing if looting is as bad as they've heard or not. Over the weekend, the RCMP arrested four people in relation to the looting of a gas station in Drayton Valley. And so then they're just seeing what other instances there are. One homeowner, she shared doorbell video with us that shows people pulling into her driveway, checking to see if the shed is unlocked, grabbing a jerry can,

getting back in their truck and just taking off. So it is happening. That being said, recognizing this, the RCMP has said that they are increasing patrols and they are increasing the number of people out there because it could be a bigger problem the longer people are out of their homes. And I think the biggest thing with this, though, is the spread of misinformation. You know, we talked to some evacuees and they're just, they're so worried about their homes. And then they're hearing that their homes could be looted and they just don't know what to believe. And they don't know where to get information. I'm super paranoid about somebody breaking into my house.

So I was like, it would be better for me to be here. Drayton is a ghost town right now. The people I see moving around town didn't look like they had the best intentions. And so that's the biggest thing, is them getting some kind of some peace of mind. I think that, you know, that their concerns are being taken seriously. And it does seem right now that they are being taken seriously. And so some of them actually don't want to leave their home because they want to protect their property. Is that happening? There are a few places where we are seeing that happen.

We haven't heard of any sort of, I'll use the word aggression for it. There haven't been any aggressive encounters that we've heard where somebody absolutely refuses to leave their home under the circumstances of somebody staying back. It usually is to protect livestock. Perhaps there's a farm they have to protect, whatever crop they're growing, those kinds of situations. We have been hearing situations like that, but in terms of people aggressively staying back to protect their homes, people have been able to go. But I'll also say that in Drayton Valley, it was raining the other day. And so there seemed to be this idea of like, oh, it's raining, the risk is over. And so the mayor, she came out and said, like, do not come back.

Light rain in the area this morning and the hard work by the fire crews has worked in our favor. However, it's not enough to make a significant change in the situation to allow for re-entry. So again, you get that unease that people just want to go home. Our ask at this time is very simple. We ask that all Albertans listen to local officials regarding any evacuation orders that you may receive. I would also ask that all Albertans, whether you're close to an area that is currently impacted or not, to please take steps to prepare yourself in the event that you have to leave your home due to an emergency response. You can never be too prepared. Things like 72 hours worth of food and water. Some people were told that they were going to be out for three days, to pack for three days, and then all of a sudden it stretches into four days.

And to be frank, there is a difference between three days out of your home or four days out of your home, you know, and the uncertainty associated with that. And then when you look at the provincial support that you can receive, you can apply for that after you've been out of your home for seven days. Every adult who's been evacuated and displaced for seven consecutive days will receive $1,250, along with an additional $500 for each dependent child under age 18. So there is that unease too, right? Of knowing, okay, when am I going home? Do I need to apply for this?

Am I going to be staying another day in my car? Or can I get funding to stay in a hotel? So yeah, and they are encouraging people to just make sure that when they are leaving, they have enough that they're prepared. That if you're leaving for three days, you may wind up going for four. So just to be prepared in that way. You know, we're only at the very beginning of wildfire season, as we discussed earlier on. I'm just wondering how concerned people are about the potential of how bad things could get this year. Wildfire officials stressing that we're still in the early days of this

wildfire itself, or this bunch of wildfires, and they're saying it's unprecedented. So when they're saying that at this time of year, that sends a serious warning. So yeah, so they're saying that we need to be prepared. We need more rain. And right now there's a serious warning. So, yeah. So they're they're saying that we need to be prepared. We need more rain. And right now there's a little bit of rain, like, you know, a sprinkling. We need days of rain in order for it to make a difference. So I want to ask you a little bit about your part of the country. You know, wildfires happen everywhere. Climate change is happening everywhere. But I'm wondering why we keep hearing about these persistent, devastating forest fires in the West, in BC, in Alberta, in California. What is it about the

climate or about the ecology of the West Coast and areas close to the West Coast that have made this phenomenon so devastating in that area? So there are a few things that we can look at. Number one is terrain. So when we're looking at fires in some areas, let's say that they're in mountainous areas, getting to those fires is very challenging. Something else that can happen is a fire can smolder underground with mosses and all of that kind of mulch that you see in beautiful forests, yeah, all of that can continue to burn and smolder through the winter. And that can cause serious problems as we head into the next spring. And something else too, is when you look at the geography as well, one of the things

that wildfire officials in Alberta say is that you look at how much land Alberta covers, it's quite vast for the population, and the fires are so spread out. So, you know, we're having one fire in one place. Well, that takes one crew, and, you know, 100 kilometers away, there's another fire. And, yeah, and it's just becoming hotter. It's drier. When you look at the glacial melt, there isn't as much precipitation from there coming to rivers and streams. They're drier. And then exactly like you were saying, when it comes to climate change, it's hotter, it's drier. And all of that kind of adds up to this perfect combination that makes it absolutely ripe for wildfires. So help is on the way from other provinces.

From what I understand, there are firefighters coming from elsewhere to help in Alberta. We already have crews from other provinces who have been arriving, and you'll hear more about that later. But after talking with the Prime Minister, we sent a formal request for additional assistance. During our call, Prime Minister Trudeau confirmed that the military will be sent to assist if necessary. We should mention there are also fires burning in Saskatchewan and in BC.

What's that like for you when you think about perhaps an entire summer of evacuations, fires, people losing their homes, smoky skies? It's frightening to think that we could be in for months of this. And when we talk about wildfires, it isn't just the fire, but as you mentioned, it's the smoke. A few years ago, the smoke from B.C., the smoke from Saskatchewan, just blanketing the province and what that means for, you know, for a time of year that we're supposed to be, you know, like outside enjoying ourselves, getting fresh air, getting some sunshine. And it's and it's tarnished because of this, you know, and the number of people that are affected. That being said, from my own experience, and I think it happening so early in the season, is I think there's going to be a sense of

preparation. I know for myself, I am now looking around my house thinking, what do I need to keep by the front door? We can grab that and go. And I've had so many people reach out to me and say, like, I wouldn't know what to grab. And so starting that conversation, starting to have those, you know, discussions, starting to kind of organize things that, okay, if we all of a sudden had to leave at a moment's notice, what are we going to grab? You know, so often it's like, well, this can't happen to us. Well, it can. And it is. And being prepared, just being prepared over the next few months is going to be so, so important. Well, I hope, Nancy, that things get better for you, for Alberta, and for your part of the country, because, yeah, this sounds like a pretty rough few days. So thank you so much for taking the time again to talk to us. Thank you so much. That's all for today. Thanks for listening to FrontBurner and talk to you again tomorrow.