New Brunswick urges residents to plan for possible wildfire evacuations

As wildfires burn, emergency officials encourage Maritimers to prepare a kit – in case they need to evacuate at a moment’s notice.

With a dozen forest fires burning in New Brunswick – two of which remain out of control – the province’s public safety minister has a clear message for residents.

“Every New Brunswick should have an evacuation plan and an emergency kit,” Robert Gauvin said during a fire update Monday. “If you don’t have one, make one.”

Residents in the Irishtown, Tankville, Evangeline and Lakeville areas just north of downtown Moncton are currently under an evacuation advisory.

Gauvin says it doesn’t matter if you are near or far away from a current fire as given the dry conditions, fires could begin at any moment. He says each household should devise a plan so everyone is on the same page if an evacuation is ordered.

Part of that plan should include an emergency kit filled with essentials such as:

• food and water
• blankets
• flashlights and batteries
• portable radio
• first-aid kit
• prescription medications
• infant formula (if needed)
• cash
• spare set of clothes

Jason Small with the Canadian Red Cross also says it is important to have passports, birth certificates, and other important documents prepared to grab and go at a moment’s notice.

“We encourage folks to do it well ahead of time when you’re not under the threat of an evacuation,” Small says. “[Then] you don’t have to think about it because there’s so many things you’re going to be thinking about in that moment, and if you don’t have to think about what I need to pack, that saves you a lot of stress.”

It’s also important to have a similar emergency bag prepared for your pets. That kit should include food and water, important documents, medications, a collar/harness, leash, and a travel crate.

New Brunswick SPCA chief animal protection officer Tony Porter says it is also helpful to have recent photos of your pet in case anything happens.

“You have to take your pets with you because they’re not going to survive,” Porter says. “They sense smoke, danger, fire, and they’ll bolt right as soon as you open the door. They’re just they’re scared, and they don’t know what to do, so it’s important that [people] keep their pets safe with them.”

If someone is unable to take their pet for whatever reason, they can call 1-877-722-1522 for help from the SPCA. The organization is also able to help transport livestock if needed.

Firsthand experience

Two years ago, wildfires ravaged the community of Hammonds Plains, N.S., just outside Halifax. The fire destroyed hundreds of homes, leaving many residents displaced.

One of those residents who lost everything was Tricia Murray, who just moved back into her rebuilt home earlier this year.

“I wish I had not assumed that it would be fine,” Murray says looking back at the day she fled her home with her daughter, dog, and whatever she could quickly put in the back of her car.

“As I was running around kind of frantically packing what I could, I just remember thinking, ‘Oh, that’s silly I don’t need these, I’m going to be back tomorrow,’ and I wish I didn’t do that.”

Other irreplaceable artifacts lost to the fire include jewelry, photos of her daughter when she was a baby, including the ultrasound picture, and a number of antique pieces of furniture that belonged to her grandmother.

She says the best thing people can do is be prepared as fires can start and spread quickly. She advises people to take pictures and videos of anything valuable in their homes.

“That tedious insurance process where you have to list every item you bought you own, that was really hard to do,” Murray recalls. “It took forever, and a lot of the stuff was questioned by the insurance company. Make sure you’re covered, make sure your insurance is intact, and make sure you’ve got solid insurance.”

The Hammonds Plains wildfire, which officially began on May 28, 2023, displaced more than 16,000 residents and destroyed 151 homes.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.