Fort Smith residents cast wary eye on forest fires
Last updated Jun 13 2005 04:11 PM CDT
http://north.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=smith-emergency-13062005
CBC News
FORT SMITH - With forest fires surrounding the community, emergency
preparedness is on the minds of residents of Fort Smith.
The community on the N.W.T.-Alberta border continues to be the
hotspot for forest fire activity, with nearly 40 fires burning in
three different management zones.
While none of the fires are considered a threat to the community
yet, officials are beginning to think about how ready they are if the
situation changes.
Fort Smith residents have experienced the possibility of evacuation
in the past from fires, and some residents are already hedging their
bets.
Last Tuesday, when one fire came within a few kilometres of town, so
many people lined up to fill their gas tanks that at least one
service station ran out of fuel.
One way out
Emergency evacuation is a constant concern because the town is
surrounded by forest and there's no escape route to the south if the
highway and airport are closed.
Emergency procedures chief Jim Hood says there is an evacuation
plan, but direction would come from the Emergency Measures Operation
headquarters in Yellowknife.
"Part of the plan is the possibility of air evacuation," he says.
"If the airport was closed as well, then basically it would be to
sit tight and protect the community because there's no sense in
evacuating people to someplace where there's no resources, so it
would be a matter of sitting tight."
Hood says to avoid panic there would be no sirens. Residents would
be alerted to the situation by a door-to-door visit from an official.
Hood recommends people take a look at a fire preparedness booklet
mailed out last week. It provides survival advice such as packing one
bag with items like water and medication.
In the meantime the fire situation has renewed interest in a road
south, which could be a second route that could take them out of
harm's way.
