A highway camera photo shows traffic in FortMcMurray jammed in the southbound lane of Highway 63 on the north side of the Athabasca River. The image was captured at 3:11 p.m. MT, about an hour after an evacuation order was issued for four neighbourhoods. (511 Alberta)
Evacuation order issued as wildfire threatening Fort McMurray draws closer https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-wildfire-grande-prairie-fort-mcmurray-1.7203695
Public transit shuts down in emergencies. What is even the point of this complaint?
In other countries, where motorcycles are common, you’d see a good portion of them zig-zagging past the mostly stopped cars. While carry capacity is severely limited, compared to a car, it’s still better than nothing.
Now, people without any means of transportation are pretty much fucked, because to evacuate, you need time to pack some of your shit and some way to transport it with you. Depending on the event, you’d have to choose between GTFO ASAP or packing the most you can. Even if a government provided buses for people without cars, how long would it take for everyone to finish packing their stuff inside and getting in before it’s too late?
I’d cycle and camp. I reckon I could cover 50-100km a day on a bike, possibly more if motivated by emergency. 20km city riding takes me an hour usually.
Not live there. I’m not joking, if you live in Northern Canada the first thing you’ll save up for is a car, or you’ll know people who own a car.
Plus, you tend to need to carry a lot of stuff when evacuating. My photo albums alone are too heavy to cart around for any meaningful distance, never mind spare clothing etc.
I had to check Google maps to make sure but the next closest city appears to be about 300kms south (Athabasca, unless Lac La Biche is closer), even with public transit they aren’t getting anywhere else. There’s nothing in so much of Northern Canada you’re screwed for mobility without a vehicle.
Ah yes we should expect bus and train drivers to go into danger head first.
