What Fort Simpson residents can expect when permitted to return

Residents should expect a “changed landscape” in some parts of Fort Simpson once the village’s wildfire-related evacuation order is lifted and people can return.

That’s according to fire information officer Forrest Tower, who said the first sign will be severely burned forest on the drive from the ferry landing to the village’s island.

“It’s not the entire stretch from the ferry to the town site, but where fire burned really intensely in a couple sections across the highway, it is completely burnt trees on both sides,” said Tower. “It’s definitely visually different on that drive back.”

Tower said the picture looks a little different in residential areas, where some trees have been left intact.

In some areas, the neighbourhood looks untouched by fire, Tower said. In others, residents may notice a partially burnt lawn or a burnt tree on their property.

“Anywhere where there [are] houses that are backed up against a tree line, there is probably going to be some noticeable impact from fire there in varying scales,” said Tower.

The village’s island remains unaffected by the fire, he said.

Given the size of the fire, Tower said residents are likely to experience smoky conditions long after they return home, likely for the rest of the summer.

On Tuesday afternoon, Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation Chief Kele Antoine shared aerial video of the areas affected by the fire on social media.

“As you’ll notice, the fire has changed the landscape. When it is safe for everyone to return home, some familiar places will look different. It will take time for our forests to heal, but nature has a remarkable way of renewing itself,” Chief Antoine wrote.

Advice from Fort McMurray

Jon Tupper, a journalist with Harvard Media and a resident of Fort McMurray, Alberta, was evacuated to Edmonton when a wildfire tore through the community in 2016.

He and his family spent six weeks away that summer and described coming home as “a visual and sensory assault.”

“The first thing you notice, especially living as we do in the North among the boreal forest, is this dark change in the scenery you’re used to,” said Tupper. “Things that were green are black.”

“The second assault on the senses is the smell of forest fire, the combination of smoke and soot, and just residual ash particulate matter in the air.”

Tupper said initially, it was difficult to see many of his favourite landmarks in a new context.

“Your favourite tree, your favourite fishing spot, the river you used to go paddling up, all of it is just surrounded by black, burned-out trees and the smell of smoke,” said Tupper.

As a result, he found himself staying in his neighbourhood, which had been spared the worst.

“When we had to leave that neighbourhood to go downtown, to go out of town, there was certainly some mental preparation that I would have to do before I was ready to venture into what ultimately looks not unlike [how] I imagine a war zone would look,” said Tupper.

“I would just kind-of take some deep breaths before getting behind the [wheel], remind myself that the fire is out, what I’m seeing is normal, that I will be seeing some things that are ugly.”

Tupper also found it helpful to remind himself that wildfires are a natural part of the environment and help forests regenerate.

“Here we are now, 10 years later and the forest has largely returned into a thriving state, because it went through its natural cycle and was allowed to regrow [in] the way that it has been for hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of years,” said Tupper.

He said his advice to anyone experiencing a natural disaster is for them to speak to a doctor about what they’re going through, how they’re feeling and how it might be impacting them.

“If and when mental health symptoms appear, do not hesitate to seek a referral to a specialist, to a psychiatrist, or a social worker, or a trauma specialist. Their career is to help you get through experiences like this and they’re a tremendous resource,” said Tupper.

(The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Agency says it has mental health staff available daily at the multiplex in Yellowknife for Fort Simpson evacuees.)

In the years since the fire devastated Fort McMurray, Tupper said his mental health was almost “poetically linked” to the regrowth of the forest in the area.

“Things heal, you’ll heal, nature will heal – and sometimes come back and thrive better than it was before,” said Tupper.

“The days are long, but the years are short, so you can make it through – it’s just going to be like a root canal in the process.”

Remaining firefighting work

Reached on Tuesday afternoon, Tower said structural firefighters are working to extinguish any remaining fire activity within a 50-ft radius of buildings.

“There will still be fire all around the community, in terms of on the west side of Highway 1. It’s still going to be smouldering and putting off smoke, but it can’t burn any closer. Everything there is already burnt,” said Tower.

He said crews will need a few more days before the risk to structures is reduced.

“I’d say there’s about a week left of firefighting and cleanup along that residential area, and still quite a bit of active fire near the airport that is maybe not threatening to the residential area, but it could be to the ferry landing,” said Tower.

“We should have it tied off and dealt with in the next few days but if we have a significant wind event, that could push that back.”

From a firefighting perspective, he said it is difficult to know when it might be safe for residents to return home.

Tower said the remaining work aside from firefighting includes things like removing trees located near power lines, which have been causing power interruptions when they fall.

He said it is also difficult to estimate the time required to re-establish services in the village, something that requires a staggered re-entry plan.

For example, because the dump was impacted by the fire, there is work under way to create a temporary dump site.

“We’re getting there, but definitely there’s still quite a bit of work from all angles before re-entry would be considered,” said Tower.