Hundreds airlifted by Hercules aircraft as wildfire threatens northern Ontario First Nation
As a major wildfire threatens a First Nation in northwestern Ontario, one evacuee is recounting her 'surreal' experience escaping the blaze on a military aircraft.
Destiny Rae says she and her family were among hundreds of people who left Sandy Lake First Nation as the 1,500-square kilometre, out-of-control wildfire burns through the area.
Get daily National news
Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
National Defence says a CC-130 Hercules aircraft has been airlifting people out of the First Nation, and more than 700 people had been evacuated as of Monday afternoon.
It's unclear how many residents are still in the community of more than 2,000 people.
Rae says it was 'very surreal' when she boarded the military airplane on Sunday, as officials said the blaze was just six kilometres away from the First Nation with smoke causing poor visibility.
Tens of thousands of people across Canada have fled from raging wildfires in recent days, prompting both Saskatchewan and Manitoba to declare provincial states of emergency.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
a day ago
- Global News
4 missing after Airmedic helicopter crash in northeastern Quebec: police
Quebec provincial police launched a search operation Saturday after a helicopter crash in northeastern Quebec that left four people unaccounted for. They said the aircraft operated by Airmedic was involved in an accident around 10:30 p.m. on Friday near Natashquan, Que., a little more than 1,000 kilometres northeast of Montreal. Police planned to comb a wooded area in the region north of the community in the province's Côte-Nord region. Sgt. Élizabeth Marquis-Guy said five people were aboard the chopper, but one man was rescued and reportedly suffered non-life-threatening injuries. He was taken to hospital. The four others remained missing on Saturday morning. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Raphaele Bourgault, a spokesperson from the Longueuil, Que.-based air medical transport firm, confirmed the helicopter was part of the company fleet and said emergency services were quickly dispatched to the scene. Story continues below advertisement 'Airmedic staff are working closely with authorities and first responders to manage the situation and provide the necessary assistance,' Bourgault said in an emailed statement. 'Airmedic will release further information as soon as it is confirmed.' Bourgault said the company's thoughts and concerns are with those affected by the crash. Airmedic specializes in air medical transport and operates both planes and helicopters as part of its fleet. It is a private company that offers its services across Canada. A command post was set up and search specialists are on site and are capable of searching on the water as well as by ground and in the air. The Canadian Armed Forces have also been called for assistance, police said. Provincial police say the Transportation Safety Board of Canada has been informed of the crash and will conduct an investigation to determine the circumstances behind it. A TSB spokesman said the helicopter was in the process of a medical evacuation and crashed into a lake shortly after takeoff. 'The TSB is in contact with the operator and others involved and is collecting information,' spokesman Nic Defalco said in an emailed response. Story continues below advertisement Police investigators will collaborate in the TSB probe, Marquis-Guy said.
Global News
a day ago
- Global News
Hot air balloon in Brazil catches fire and falls, killing 8 and injuring 13
A hot air balloon caught fire and tumbled from the sky on Saturday in Brazil 's southern state of Santa Catarina, killing eight people, firefighters said. Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality of Praia Grande. On a video on social media, two people can be seen falling through the air as the fire spread onboard the aircraft. Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina's civil police force, on X. 'It hurts the soul.' Thirteen people survived and were taken to hospitals, Santa Catarina's military fire brigade said, adding that 21 people were on board including the pilot. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened. We will see how it unfolds, what happened, why it happened. But the important thing now is for the state structure to do what it can,' Gov. Jorginho Mello said in a video on X. Story continues below advertisement Mello said he has asked authorities to head to the municipality 'to do as much as possible to rescue, to help, to take to hospital, to comfort the families.' 'According to the pilot, who is one of the survivors, a fire started inside the basket and then he began to lower the balloon. When the balloon was very close to the ground, he ordered people to jump out of the basket,' Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper quoted Praia Grande head police officer Tiago Luiz Lemos as saying. 'Some of them didn't manage to jump. The fire increased and the balloon ended up falling,' Lemos added. G1 reported that the balloon's expected flight time was 45 minutes, with the balloon reaching 1000 meters, and cost 550 reais (around C$137) per passenger. Praia Grande is a common destination for hot air ballooning, a popular activity in some parts of Brazil's south during June festivities that celebrate Catholic saints such as St. John, whose feast day is on June 24. Last Sunday, a balloon came down in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 other people, G1 reported.
Global News
a day ago
- Global News
Fredericton's assistant deputy fire chief reflects on 35-year career
David McKinley was 25 years old when he first joined the Fredericton Fire Department in 1990. Now, as he gets set to enter retirement, the assistant deputy chief is reflecting on his 35-year career with the department. Over the decades, he's responded to fires, ice rescues and medical calls. In 2013, he became the assistant deputy chief. It's not a job he took lightly. 'There's a lot of responsibility,' said McKinley. 'The weight of the department is on our shoulders, so it's important that we keep moving forward.' This year, McKinley received the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his service. And he leaves his legacy with dozens of members who weren't even born when he began. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'I have this little saying, work hard, keep your nose clean, stay out of trouble,' he said. Story continues below advertisement It's a legacy fire Chief Dwayne Killingbeck noted at McKinley's retirement reception. 'He leaves [the department] improved down to its very foundation, and he's now entrusting us to carry it on his behalf, and we cannot let him down,' Killingbeck said. Meanwhile, McKinley isn't finished with the Fredericton Fire Department yet — he's turning his gaze to a book chronicling the department's history. He said it will include everything from early equipment to the volunteers and firefighters who kept Fredericton safe over the years. 'It's important to me where we came from and some of the struggles that our firefighters ahead of us had to go through because they worked hard,' he said. And, he has a much more immediate plan, too. 'The first thing I'm going to do is sleep in,' he said. For more on this story, watch the video above.
