A woman who escaped a ferocious wildfire that tore through the village of Lytton and surrounding First Nation communities says she didn香蕉视频直播檛 even have time to put shoes on before fleeing.
Noeleen McQuary-Budde says her husband, Lance Budde, returned moments after stepping outside their house to start walking a friend home. He screamed that a fire was upon them and they had to leave.
McQuary-Budde grabbed her wallet, phone and two woven birch bark baskets made by her mother and grandmother, and ran.
香蕉视频直播淭he fire was beside the trees, beside our house. The black smoke was just pouring down Main Street,香蕉视频直播 she said in an interview Friday.
香蕉视频直播淭he fire was coming from above us and it was coming from below, from the river down the railway tracks.香蕉视频直播
The blaze levelled the village after three consecutive days of record-setting extreme heat that peaked at 49.6C, the highest temperature ever recorded in Canada.
McQuary-Budde was among about 1,000 people who managed to escape. A search is underway for an unknown number of people who are unaccounted for.
She said the heat in the days before the fire combined with wind surging through the canyon to make it feel 香蕉视频直播渓ike you香蕉视频直播檙e walking into a blow dryer.香蕉视频直播
McQuary-Budde and her husband jumped in their truck with their 55-kilogram Cane Corso dog named Daisy. They would collect another 11 people on their way out of town. By the time they reached Lillooet, about 45 minutes away, they were sunburned but safe.
香蕉视频直播淲e made it. We made it,香蕉视频直播 she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 think everyone made it.香蕉视频直播
She said she has been touched by an outpouring of support from community members in Lillooet. One woman gave her shoes, other supplies and a hug, she said.
McQuary-Budde said she hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been able to sleep since the fire. She spoke on the phone from Squamish, where she and her husband headed due to wildfire smoke over Lillooet.
Like so many victims of the fire, their future is somewhat uncertain. But she said she is planning to visit her daughter in Vancouver on Friday then go to Nadleh Whut香蕉视频直播檈n, a First Nation community on Fraser Lake, where she was raised.
香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e rallying behind us. Two of the councilmen phoned me yesterday and said there香蕉视频直播檚 a newly renovated house they香蕉视频直播檝e offered us,香蕉视频直播 she said.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 really, really, really grateful for that because I know there香蕉视频直播檚 so many people who don香蕉视频直播檛 (have that).香蕉视频直播
McQuary-Budde said she moved to Lytton three years ago and fell in love with the tight-knit community香蕉视频直播檚 generosity. If someone had extra cherries, apples or salmon, they didn香蕉视频直播檛 hesitate to offer it.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 like one, big extended family.香蕉视频直播
Amy Smart, The Canadian Press
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