New Brunswick family reunited, fleeing south from Fort McMurray wildfire

Krystle-Lee MacLean, originally from Riverview, N.B., fled her Fort McMurray home with her four daughters and her mother Tuesday afternoon as a wall of flames moved toward her home.

“A dark grey ball with an orange glow was coming in quickly towards our homes,” MacLean told Global News.

READ MORE: Live updates of Fort McMurray wildfire

The family escaped by car in the midst of flames moving faster than traffic, with the fire jumping the highway at one point.

“The flames were coming from the hillside near the road and you felt trapped, I have never felt so trapped in my life. It felt like Armageddon,” MacLean said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The flames were coming from the hillside near the road and you felt trapped, I have never felt so trapped in my life. It felt like Armageddon," MacLean said.

Originally, MacLean and her husband were separated, the two of them sent to different camps, however they were able to meet up on Wednesday and head south as a family of six.

She says people trying to flee the flames by car were panicked, with vehicles getting into in head-on collisions and driving into ditches.

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The family finally made it to an oilsands camp just 20 minutes north of Fort McMurray. However, they decided to turn around and head south of the city, ultimately hoping to reach Edmonton.

With only moments for her to escape with her daughters, MacLean says they had to grab their things as fast as they could.

She had no time to take a crib or playpen for her infant daughter, Zara-Lee, so she slept bundled in a drawer at the camp Tuesday night.

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MacLean added that she believes her house has been destroyed by the out of control wildfire.

READ: Fort McMurray wildfire: Super 8 Hotel goes up in flames during live report

MacLean said she hopes to connect Wednesday with her brother, Gerard Lloyd, who still lives Riverview.

Lloyd had not yet spoken to his sister directly at the time of publication, but told Global News he is relieved that his sister and her family are safe.

“We are very concerned yet very proud of her calm and strength,” Lloyd said.