Winnipeg man, who fled 'firestorm' in Fort McMurray, rallies to give back to the community

A Winnipeg man who earns his living as a scaffolder in the oil fields near Fort McMurray, Alta. doesn't know if or when he will ever go back. For now, his focus is doing his part to give back to the fire-ravaged community.

When Joshua Sleigh and his crew boarded a bus on Tuesday at the end of a two-week shift rotation in Fort MacKay, they didn't know what they would be driving into.

"It started as heavy smoke over the ridges, and then we'd see one tree on fire, then all of a sudden there's a neighbourhood on fire," he said.

He said the journey was like driving through a fire storm, that moved quickly as it came across the highway and headed for downtown Fort McMurray. 

"Everyone was pretty scared. All we could think about was the neighbourhoods on fire and wanting to get home to our families," said Sleigh.

Winnipeg man rallies to give back to Fort McMurray

9 years ago

Duration 1:08

Winnipeg man, Joshua Sleigh, who earns his living as a scaffolder in the oil fields near Fort McMurray, Alta. doesn't know if or when he will ever go back. For now, his focus is doing his part to give back to the fire-ravaged community.

He said the bus full of hardened oil workers were in awe of what was happening before their eyes.

"We watched it march kilometres in minutes," he said.

"Cars [were] all over the side of the road, people [were] panicking, driving through shoulders. The police officers just trying to get everyone [to go] north or south," said Sleigh.

He recalls feeling the heat of the flames through the walls of the bus.

A chance to give back

Sleigh and the others made it out of the fire zone and back to Winnipeg, after catching a flight out of Edmonton.

All my friends, all of us in the oil field, it burdens us. I feel so burdened for Fort Mac.- Joshua Sleigh

Now safe in his own home, he wants to show his support for the community that has supported him for the last two years. 

"All my friends, all of us in the oil field, it burdens us. I feel so burdened for Fort Mac," he said. 

Sleigh has started an online campaign through Facebook, called Fort McMurray Hard Hat Stickers. He plans to design and sell the stickers to raise funds for the Red Cross.

For Sleigh, the hard hat stickers are a way to show solidarity with the victims of the fires.

"It's like our individuality in the field. You put your stickers on [the hard hats], and you've got [stickers for] the sites you've been at, the unions you support," he said. He says anyone can donate or wear the sticker to show support.

Sleigh hopes to have the stickers available soon.