When the Popejoy family of Fort McMurray fled their Beacon Hill home on May 3, they assumed it would burn to the ground.
It didn’t.
They consider themselves among the lucky ones.
Their house is still standing, but it needs months of repairs from the effects of the fire.
It’s why Andrea Popejoy and her son Rhys packed up his room, so he was ready for school Tuesday morning.
The nine-year-old is eager to head back to school and to begin grade four.
“I haven’t seen my classmates in so long,” Rhys told Global News. “I’m just dying to see them again.”
WATCH: Fort McMurray principal who helped students evacuate gets ready to welcome kids back to school
September is normally a time of angst for students and parents alike, but this fall carries some added pressure for many families – marking their return to Fort McMurray.
Many stayed away from the community until now, returning to their homes, or rental accommodations if their house was damaged or burned.
“It’s been a long time, but it’s a relief to be honest with you,” Popejoy said about her son’s return to class.
She said the family spent much of the last few months in British Columbia, but returned to find a townhouse to rent until they can go home.
READ MORE: Fort McMurray wildfire: Beacon Hill, Abasand residents begin returning home
Four schools, meanwhile, also couldn’t re-open Tuesday because of the fire.
Those teachers and students have moved to other schools within Fort McMurray to begin the recovery from the fire dubbed the “beast.”
“It was intense,” Popejoy said recalling the day they fled.
“We drove out through the grass, over in the ditch. we couldn’t go the other way, there were just flames everywhere.”
It’s expected about 9 in every 10 students are back in class, and the majority of teachers have also returned.
Fort McMurray Catholic School’s Monica Mankowski said they don’t expect the students to have major issues, but counsellors will be available to everyone.
“We’ve done a lot of professional development with teachers on what the look for – how can they actually regulate the children.. so they’re calm and ready to think.”
There’s also been a lot of physical work to restore classrooms, even if they only experienced smoke damage.
“All the tiles in the ceilings are replaced, and floors are clean, and every single book had to be wiped clean.”
Supplies have been thrown away, and purchased new.
It’s hoped it will all help kick off a successful year for everyone, and ultimately the re-building of Fort McMurray.
The Popejoy’s hope is that they’ll be back home by Christmas, but they know their neighbourhood will likely take years to rebuild and recover.
Watch below: Tuesday marked back-to-school day for hundreds of kids in Fort McMurray. The last time many of the students saw their classrooms was when they were forced to flee from a catastrophic wildifre in May. As Quinn Ohler reports, for some, heading back to class is a way of coming to terms with a new normal.
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