Fort McMurray wildfire evacuees flee city in chaos

HowardRenslerhaslived close toforest fires before, but what hesaw Tuesday will stay with him forever.

He and his wife spentmuch of the day at theMacDonaldIsland Parkevacuation centre just outside downtown Fort McMurray.

By late afternoon, every residential area in the city of 60,000 was under evacuation order, with peopleforced to leave their homesasfire spread from the southeastern edge of the Alberta city, then moved rapidlywest, devouring entire neighbourhoods.

Eventually, even the evacuation centre wasevacuated, and the Rensler's took to the highway, headed south for Edmonton.

"We have passed all sorts of burnt and burning (buildings) right on the roadside of Highway 63,"Renslersaid Tuesday evening. "Including what was aSuper8Motel andaDenny'srestaurant. There are simply treesburning 10 feet of the highway."

Renslerused to live inKelowna, B.C., so he has some experience with forest fires.

"What's happened this time is an order of magnitude greater than I've ever experienced," he said. "The fire actually came into town. There was an incredible amount of property damage to residences and businesses."

'I was panicking'

DwightHowlettdidn't think he would make it out the city alive.

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Forced to leavehisGregoiremobile home, asHowlett made his way south from downtownflames began tolickat the side of his pickup truck.

"I was going up the hill, and the traffic was three cars wide, and by the time I got up the hill,I couldn't see anything," Howlett said. "There was just smoke everywhere. I was just following headlights.

"I was sitting in my car in the line-up, and I could feel the heat of fire all around me."

Low on fuel, Howlett decided he didn't have enough time to stop for supplies, and made a beeline for the south of the city.

"I was panicking. I really didn't know I was going to make it out of there. I was near tears."

With help from his sister, Howlett managed to get out of the city, but he iscertain he will never see his home intact again.

"I was lucky to make it out when I did," hesaid from the safety of an Anzacevacuation centre.

Gas supplies run low

DanielleLamoureux left work early and rushed home to Thickwood, where she and her husband grabbed their important papers, some cash and clothes. By the time they drove away, their whole neighbourhood was being evacuated.

"It hit me when I could see the highway," she said, "and on the other side I could see flames down by the road. That's when I got really nervous."

As they drove south out of the city, "there was fire on my left and fire on my right. It was pretty terrifying," she said.

Chaos ruled the day across the cityas residents tried to escape the flames.

On Highway 63, near an industrial area, flamesburned trees right next to the road.

Over the sound of sirens, people could hear the constant pop, pop, pop of exploding propane tanks.

Supplies of gasoline soon ran short, making the trip out of town even more frantic.

For Ian Seggie, the scene was surreal.

"We are heading north, we're getting out," he told CBC News.

"I've offered rides to people that don't have full gas tanks. Iwas fortunate enough to fuel up yesterday, so I'm going to be making some pit stops along the way to pick people up.

"I've seen one gentleman walking the highway with his suitcase already."

A Timberlea resident,Seggiehad been watching the flames from his balcony for the last two days. He saidit was strangely clear and calm Tuesdaymorning, but the situation soon changed.

"Within two hours this afternoon the wind shifted, and that was it," he said. "You could just see it coming.

"I've never seen anything like this but this is really just unreal. I've never seen anything like this. It's right on our doorstep."