Almost a quarter of residents of Fort McMurray forced to flee the devastating wildfire that struck the northern Alberta oil town last spring are now reaching out to mental health services to cope the the after-effects of that traumatic exodus.
On May 3, all 90,000 residents were forced to leave the city. Many ran a terrifying gauntlet of flames, with only the clothes they were wearing.
At least 20,000 people have already sought help and health-care workers expect that number to grow.
Health professionals say many residents–the first of whom were allowed to return June 1–will be able to get over their anxiety by talking about their experiences and with help from neighbours.
Others–suffering severe post-traumatic stress disorder and depression–will find it more difficult.
“People who were evacuated felt very uprooted,” says Dr. Sandra Corbett, the head of mental health services in the region. “We know there are different states in the process, of the kind of different emotions that the people go through.”
Corbett says after an initial heroic phase when people were just happy to escape and a honeymoon phase when they were supported emotionally and financially by outsiders, residents are now entering a phase marked by disillusionment.
The province is building a three-to-five year plan to deal with the residents’ health needs and additional counselling staff from elsewhere are being brought in.
Corbett says many of the health-care workers are already exhausted and reinforcements will be needed.
The after-effects are not limited to the human cost.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada says the Fort McMurray fire is the costliest disaster for insurers in Canadian history.
It estimates the total cost will reach $3.58 billion.
With CBC files.
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