This is part 4 of Pastor Les's series recounting his and Ardith's evacuation from Fort McMurray. You may read the previous posts by following these links: Part 1 (Escaping the Inferno!), Part 2 (Metis/First Nations Hospitality), Part 3 (Oil Sands Camp).
Fort McMurray, Alberta Wildfires. It is Wednesday after supper at the Suncor Firebag Camp and I was on the hunt…hunting for fuel for my vehicle that was stranded over 80 kilometers south at Fort McKay. I got wind that there might be tankers south if I could get someone to take me to Fort McKay. I spoke with several Suncor employees but I was coming up dry. It seemed impossible to retrieve my Ford Explorer until a man took up my cause (I learned he was quite highly positioned yet in this time of chaos gladly became a jack of all trades). He called on his cellphone to instruct another companion to get a company truck to pick me up at the front entrance of the facility in which we were staying. It is early evening and sure enough my ride came along and into the truck I jumped. A few minutes into our journey south we began to chat and when we commented on our occupations, I informed him that I was a pastor (sometimes this ensures that the atmosphere gets a little thick. Oh, no…clergy…beware!). To our mutual surprise, my driver Paul gave me a manly handshake with a hearty affirmation of something like “welcome on board, brother, I too am a born-again believer in Jesus!” Needless to say, the journey south seemed like a few minutes as we shared with each other our spiritual journeys whereby we had come to faith in Christ and were learning to follow His leading in our lives, through all of the ups and downs. The Pentecostal brother and Baptist pastor happily melted into one delicious flavour by the time we pulled into the Fort McKay community.
The tanker that we had just discovered that had fuel enough to get me and my Ford all the way back to Firebag Camp. It was shortly after 10 pm when we got to where the tanker was…only to be told it too had just run out of fuel!
Upon arrival, we learned that a tanker had been there earlier but was emptied and had moved on. A lady in the community centre thought there might be a tanker farther north, at Albian Oil Sands. She phoned her son who was willing to give me some of his jerry can fuel. I graciously declined fearing that I would be left on the side of the road should there be no tanker north of Fort McKay. Paul suggested that we drive his truck to see if we really could find a tanker. Sure enough at the entrance to the Albian Oil Sands there was a tanker with fuel. So, back to Fort MacKay we went! I rushed into the community center again and found that lady who said her son would give me half of his jerry can of gas if I could make it to their home. Winding through the community, chasing this lady’s car, I was introduced to her jerry can son. He skillfully wiggled the stubborn nozzle into my new-fangled gas tank opening and I now had enough fuel to get to the tanker farther north. The tanker that we had just discovered that had fuel enough to get me and my Ford all the way back to Firebag Camp. It was shortly after 10 pm when we got to where the tanker was…only to be told it too had just run out of fuel! Yes, you guessed it. I had to park my now emptier vehicle in this second location. Back up north we travelled with my Christian brother, Paul, again at the wheel and me staring into the approaching darkness. Just after 11 pm, with a good old ‘out loud’ Pentecostal victory prayer, Paul dropped me off. Still just me…no vehicle! Yet, I did have a new-found brother in Christ. God’s family members pop up in the most interesting places! And thank God, for that kind Metis lady who at least ensured that I got a little farther north!