A woman who escaped a ferocious wildfire that tore through the village of Lytton and surrounding First Nation communities says she didn害羞草研究所檛 even have time to put shoes on before fleeing.

Noeleen McQuary-Budde says her husband, Lance Budde, returned moments after stepping outside their house to start walking a friend home. He screamed that a fire was upon them and they had to leave.

McQuary-Budde grabbed her wallet, phone and two woven birch bark baskets made by her mother and grandmother, and ran.

害羞草研究所淭he fire was beside the trees, beside our house. The black smoke was just pouring down Main Street,害羞草研究所� she said in an interview Friday.

害羞草研究所淭he fire was coming from above us and it was coming from below, from the river down the railway tracks.害羞草研究所�

The blaze levelled the village after three consecutive days of record-setting extreme heat that peaked at 49.6C, the highest temperature ever recorded in Canada.

McQuary-Budde was among about 1,000 people who managed to escape. A search is underway for an unknown number of people who are unaccounted for.

She said the heat in the days before the fire combined with wind surging through the canyon to make it feel 害羞草研究所渓ike you害羞草研究所檙e walking into a blow dryer.害羞草研究所�

McQuary-Budde and her husband jumped in their truck with their 55-kilogram Cane Corso dog named Daisy. They would collect another 11 people on their way out of town. By the time they reached Lillooet, about 45 minutes away, they were sunburned but safe.

害羞草研究所淲e made it. We made it,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 think everyone made it.害羞草研究所�

She said she has been touched by an outpouring of support from community members in Lillooet. One woman gave her shoes, other supplies and a hug, she said.

McQuary-Budde said she hasn害羞草研究所檛 been able to sleep since the fire. She spoke on the phone from Squamish, where she and her husband headed due to wildfire smoke over Lillooet.

Like so many victims of the fire, their future is somewhat uncertain. But she said she is planning to visit her daughter in Vancouver on Friday then go to Nadleh Whut害羞草研究所檈n, a First Nation community on Fraser Lake, where she was raised.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e rallying behind us. Two of the councilmen phoned me yesterday and said there害羞草研究所檚 a newly renovated house they害羞草研究所檝e offered us,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 really, really, really grateful for that because I know there害羞草研究所檚 so many people who don害羞草研究所檛 (have that).害羞草研究所�

McQuary-Budde said she moved to Lytton three years ago and fell in love with the tight-knit community害羞草研究所檚 generosity. If someone had extra cherries, apples or salmon, they didn害羞草研究所檛 hesitate to offer it.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 like one, big extended family.害羞草研究所�

Amy Smart, The Canadian Press

Like us on and follow us on .

Want to support local journalism? Make a donation