Into the Fire

The dramatic story of one of the biggest natural disasters in Canadian history, the Fort McMurray wildfire of 2016, told by three of the firefighters who fought to save the city.

On May 1, 2016, a wildfire burning to the southwest of Fort McMurray, Alberta, led to the declaration of a local state of emergency. Two days later, the fire had reached Fort McMurray, forcing the evacuation of 88,000 citizens and destroying 2,400 buildings. In total, the fire would consume more than 500,000 hectares. 
     Into the Fire is a remarkable first-hand account of fighting a major wildfire as it moved with terrifying speed. Over the course of six days, firefighters Jerron Hawley, Graham Hurley, and Steve Sackett of the Fort McMurray Fire Department joined local expert wildfire teams and fire departments from across the country to battle the blaze. In photographs and notes made at the time, they vividly describe what they witnessed; their own personal losses and triumphs; and the fire's devastating effects.
     With more than 90 stunning colour photographs, Into the Fire is a dramatic eyewitness account of one of the most catastrophic disasters in recent North American history. Intimate in its telling, it is above all a testament to the courage, pride, and extraordinary efforts of the citizens of Fort McMurray, who along with emergency personnel, came together to save their city.

JERRON HAWLEY was born in Port Hood, Nova Scotia, and is the youngest of seven children. After enrolling in the Nova Scotia Firefighter School Program in 2011 he moved to Fort McMurray, joining the Fort McMurray Fire Department. He and his wife, Carlene, live in Fort McMurray with their son, Maverick, and their golden retriever, Gally.

GRAHAM HURLEY grew up in Beacon Hill in Fort McMurray. After serving with the Canadian Armed Forces, with a deployment to Afghanistan, he trained to become a firefighter and joined the Fort McMurray Fire Department in 2013. He lives in Fort McMurray with his fiancé, Sarah Macdonald, and daughter, Ava.

STEVE SACKETT grew up on a family farm, just north of Calgary, Alberta. Steve began volunteering as a firefighter at the age of seventeen. After finishing a diploma in heavy duty mechanics, he completed his Emergency Medical Technician certificate and was hired as a Firefighter/EMT in 2009.