As hundreds of families across British Columbia and Ontario remain out of their homes due to wildfires, a survivor whose home burned in a wildfire a decade ago is sharing the lessons she learned.
Terese Greenwood’s home was destroyed in the 2016 Fort McMurray, Alta., wildfire. She joined Global News to reflect on the disaster, the challenges of rebuilding, and the advice she hopes will help families now.
She said one of the biggest lessons from the wildfire was the importance of following evacuation orders and prioritizing safety.
“Your job as the resident, as the citizen, is to make sure you’re safe, your family’s safe,” Greenwood said. “Obey the directions of the fire department and the municipality.”
Greenwood said her family had little time to prepare before being forced to flee.
“The flames were already sort of heading towards my home,” she said, describing the wildfire as “apocalyptic” and unlike anything she had ever imagined.
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Despite the chaos, Greenwood said Fort McMurray residents remained calm and worked together to help one another evacuate safely.
“Our whole community was able to evacuate,” she said. “We did not experience any panic.”
She added that emergency crews focus on protecting critical infrastructure and keeping evacuation routes open, making it essential for residents to leave when instructed.
Greenwood’s home burned to the ground, and although her family rebuilt, they eventually downsized after realizing they no longer needed as much space or possessions.
“We went from a four-bedroom house with … kids’ curling brooms and things like that … to not even owning a teapot,” Greenwood said.
Greenwood said the emotional impact of a wildfire can last long after the flames are out.
She wrote about the experience, but said some Fort McMurray residents found it difficult to read her book because it brought back painful memories. She added that everyday objects can unexpectedly trigger emotions years later.
“The oddest things trigger you,” she said, recalling how some survivors became emotional after seeing a Lego set because one had been given to a child during evacuation.
Her book, What You Take With You: Wildfire, Family and the Road Home, chronicles her family’s experience during and after the Fort McMurray wildfire.
Greenwood said it has since been used by university instructors to help students understand what people experience during an evacuation.
For those currently living under evacuation alerts or orders, Greenwood encouraged leaning on their communities and allowing themselves to process the experience.
“There’s no right or wrong way to feel about this,” she said. “Talk to your neighbours, talk to other people going through it … that’s how we’ll come out the other side.”
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