Days after more than 80,000 residents in the Fort McMurray area were forced to flee their homes due to a raging wildfire, those evacuees have started to unpack their bags to discover some questionable items.
As a way to share a bit of a laugh with each other in a time of great uncertainty, a Facebook page called Controversial Humor was started.
Spurred by a post shared by a woman named Jennifer Knuth, many evacuees have started to share pictures of the items they chose to pack while preparing to leave their homes in a moment’s notice.
“In this time of crisis when we have lost almost our entire city and packed our whole lives into a car or a suitcase we need laughter,” Knuth posted.
“I urge each and every one of you, as you unpack wherever you are, to post a picture of the funniest thing you packed while fleeing for your lives.”
Her post comes complete with a picture of two packages of cheese slices and a pair of snowpants she chose to pack.
And the posts that follow are sure to put a smile on the face of those in need of a laugh.
“I have snow pants too. I think I had to take my kettle bell after all too!!!” Anna Nefedova wrote, along with a picture of a package of toiley paper and a badminton racket.
“Five days in and just noticing something odd about the sandals my hubby left Fort McMurray wearing,” wrote Mandy-Lee MacWilliams.
“Kangoo boots and a bottle of moose my sister sent me from Newfie!!” wrote Carla Reid.
“We ended up accidentally “saving” our months’ worth of recyclables… On the plus side can probably cash them in for a whopping $20,” Tanisha Nelthorpe wrote.
“Statue of David came along in the bin with our most memorable belongings…LOL,” Kaitlin Brooke Glad wrote.
“A jug of water from home, laundry detergent, shot glasses and my Borat mankini,” Jason Molenaar said.
“Clearly he panicked. No shirts or pants but he didn’t want to lose his recycling?” Nichole Mcconnell said of her empty paper towel roll.
“Packed my feed of fresh smelts my buddy brought out to me,” Allen Arsenault wrote.
“My mom didn’t pack any underwear or really any clothes for herself but she remembered to bring her wine making kits!” Larissa Kresse said.
“No underwear and no complete outfit…but I brought potatoes,” Michelle Daley wrote.
“I packed half a blender and a watermelon. Lol,” Vanessa Law said.
“I brought my avalanche beacon… Because all the avalanches,” Chloe Bentley posted.
“Barely grabbed any clothes bur her lips are covered,” RW Dickason wrote.
“Why would I pack a hot glue gun??? I have no socks, but if something needs to be hot glued we are set,” Canada Roberts said.
“Over 50 pens and pencils!!! Have no idea why? And I have no kids!!!” Elham Saeedi wrote.
“For some reason I packed a veggie peeler,” Shara MacEachern said.
“Windchimes…” Chelsea Brown wrote.
And, a hammock, posted by Angela Zeinstra.
As of Saturday afternoon, the Fort McMurray wildfire was about 156,000 hectares in size. The province expected the fire to grow to upwards of 300,000 hectares by the end of the day, with the possibility of it reaching the Saskatchewan border.