Crying tears of joy, Labrador City residents return home after wildfire evacuation

More residents of Labrador City are headed home after fleeing from a forest fire that threatened the town.

Almost 10,000 people were uprootedfrom the community by an evacuation order that was partially lifted Saturday to allow for essential workers to return and completely lifted Monday at noon.

Natalie Lacey was one of many residents who went to the IGA grocery store to begin to get resettled.

"I really am glad to be home. So thankful to be able to come back to my own home," Lacey told CBC News on Monday.

"Tears of joy. The cats were excited to be home, and just a relief that we left everything the way it was and we came back to the familiar again. Just so thankful and happy."

The wildfire, spanning more than13,000 hectares hadn't been extinguished as ofMonday afternoonbut was being held by firefighting efforts.

Rowena Maye, who spent the last week in Happy Valley-Goose Bay after the evacuation order was issued on July 12, praised the town's response to the evacuees.

"It was really, really wonderful," she said.

"We sold our old camper to a couple from Goose Bay. When we got over, we ran into them and they invited us to stay in our old camper. So we were like, 'Well, this is home to us, too.' So we had a really good experience. Everyone treated us wonderful."

Shannon Karlsen, who owns the IGA, said getting to ready over the last couple of days to reopen have beenhectic.

The store isthe only major grocery option for residents of Labrador City and neighbouring Wabush, which wasn't evacuated. Wabush residents were bused into Labrador City during the evacuation orderto make sure they had access to food.

Workers came back in over the weekend to handle deliveries and make sure the store was restocked.

"Everybody's really happy to be back, relieved to be back. We're all sort of trying to hit the ground running," she said.

"We should have everybody by the end of the week, so good news."

Labrador City Mayor Belinda Adams, who was part of a crowd of people who welcomed residents back into the community,said Monday's return was moving for her.

"There's a lot of emotion here today, to realize it's over. What we went through, what it took to get here, but [we] got here," Adams said.

"We did it together. It's just a surreal feeling."

Adams said work will continue in the coming days to debrief following the evacuation and make sure returning residents have the supportthey need.

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