“It’s like a war zone”: firefighter describes exhausting efforts in Fort McMurray
Burning buildings, people running for their lives and chaos. Shane Bair’s descriptions are that of a war zone, but he’s only one province away as he joins several other firefighters working to battle the uncontrolled blaze consuming Fort McMurray.
Bair described his time in the Northern Alberta city as ‘heartbreaking’. Each day, he’s watched people lose everything they have. But the wildfires take swiftly and indiscriminately; he witnessed a six-storey apartment building burn to the ground in 15 minutes.
“It’s like a war zone. Almost every community you go into… it’s complete devastation, all you see is cement foundations and burnt out cars and campers,” Bair said calling the images “surreal.”
“In one community… there’s 12 homes and the legion. That’s it,” he said.