Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Volume 63 • Issue 27
Firefighters limit damage from McMunn & Yates fire
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
Thompson Citizen photos by Noah Cooke. Although they weren’t able to save the main store building, Thompson firefighters prevented the July 8 fire at McMunn & Yates Building Supplies from consuming the lumber stored outside or spreading to nearby buildings. The fire was reported around 9:15 p.m. by Thompson RCMP officers on patrol who saw smoke. Thompson Fire & Emergency Services was on the scene within minutes and quickly called in all available personnel as well as firefighters from Vale Manitoba Operations and the Paint Lake Volunteer Fire Department. “Unfortunately the loss of the property was something that Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham we could not control,,” TFESnorthern Deputydirector Chief Ashling Addictions Foundation of said Manitoba Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. Sweeny. “As big an incident as this was, everybody was safe. No hurt.” BY one IANgot GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say Firefighters attempted to enter the building to determine EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar theThough extent she’s of thenow fire written but were unable account of heavy I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it when I to getonthrough.” smoke, indicating that the flames had spread from where my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote had been viable she would theygrowing started up andinprompting adopt a defensive, ces Churchill, firefighters her book,to titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchcontainment strategy. of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” Addictions Foundation fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. In addition to extradirector firefighters, the effort aided byfor Twin She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite Manitoba northern North - Life was in Churchill “I miss the shoreline, I MotorsdeMeulles providingsaid space for firefighters toreasons. rest and by Mani- as a storyteller herself. Gisele writa couple of on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the toba Hydro something staff, who avoided turning to a large “I had such a varied hising wasn’t she “I just off sortpower of thought, Another thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though part of Eastwood by isolating & Yates always thought she would the youMcMunn know what, thisproperty. his- tory and I would tell people spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and untilthis thestuff afternoon do.Firefighters were at the scene tory, that’s of in July my 9. stories and they would go, hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson The cause of the fire is beinghead, investigated by to thebeManitoba “In my youth I never it’s going gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go Office of the Fire Commissioner. felt good at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended operations have the option to do that? back home, standing on the Mayor Colleen who said. attended scene said. “But whenSmook, I moved “Mythe kids areafter not seeing go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on smoke from thetoMiles Hart Bridge on her intodotown, to Thompson get into ing to get it if way I don’t it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an stayed thereofforsocial nearlywork, 12 hours until SundayI’ve morning. the school and it’searly something al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community in a political game and that’s incredible sense. You feel so Shethat is sad to see another Thompson shutmom downto by a I did all that before I was and it’s just dwindled down really sad for them because I small and you feel great.” at point I had to write ways business wanted my fire university but appreciative of the workdo. done limited the damage. for and realized, Mythat mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population think the people of ChurchNow that she’s got “It’s I’m definitely a blow to the she’s community, especially right ‘Holy, not bad at this, an artist, she’s got so in Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. ill really want to thrive. one book under her belt, the middle of our building season. It’s wonderful definitely going tobeaffect those experiences are things right?’ I certainly developed many stories Though she’s not there They’ve built their worlds deMeulles says she may try notlotonly Thompson but our northern andtells partners.” a of skill in university cause neighbors she always her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. The mayor work of firefighters in preventing and came outpraised of therethe with stories at Parks Canada inthe “I did some pretty bizarre her sister and other family if someone came to you and “I have another book in blaze spreading encompass the store’s lumber yard. stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. a veryfrom strong skill intomy Churchill and I’ve always said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. “It’s a darker “The fire amazing her, job of keeping writing anddepartment confidence did in anhounded ‘Please, justthat high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns the leave your home community story, more about personsafe,” Smook said. “They wereput able it to write the actual my writing. I write very it to oncontain tape, I will it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she and we’re going to displace al growth and struggles. building.” clear and that’s it. It’s there. for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. you somewhere else and all Maybe in the next five years Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
is going to be lost,’ and she’s never done it and I thought,
very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel
Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”