Outrunning the Flames: Jenny’s Story of Wildfire and Its Aftermath

Jenny Saulnier’s story on this day begins with an incredible escape.

“It was like a scene out of a horror movie with a wall of flames closing in around my community. I really felt in that moment that I wasn’t going to make it out.”

A wildfire tore through Jenny Saulnier’s community in Nova Scotia in May of 2023. When the smoke finally cleared, Jenny’s was one of over 150 homes destroyed, leaving a trail of devastation and uncertainty for a community that had never before considered wildfires a threat. 

Below, Jenny shares how the fire’s rapid spread gave residents only minutes to react, how neighbours and first responders came together to get everyone to safety, and the changes she’s calling for to protect people from the growing threat of these climate-driven megafires.

“We never believed it could happen here”

May 28, 2023 started out as a typical day for Jenny Saulnier. Her husband and son were out at a hockey party, while she stayed at their home in the Highland Park subdivision to prepare dinner. Little did she know that in a few hours, she would be racing against the flames, trying to escape what would become one of the most terrifying days of her life.

As she was cooking, Jenny saw a post on social media about a house fire in the neighbouring community of Westwood. “Hearing about a house fire isn’t uncommon,” Jenny says,  “but we had no idea it would spread the way it did.”

But the fire did spread, carried by strong winds and fuelled by extremely dry and hot conditions at the time – conditions that are becoming more frequent in Atlantic Canada as a result of climate change. 

As news of the spreading fire began circulating on social media, Jenny went out to her backyard  and was greeted by smoky orange skies. However, like many others in her neighborhood, she underestimated how fast the situation would escalate, especially given that there was no public warning. “We just never thought a wildfire could happen here,” she says.

“I was FaceTiming people from my back deck.” Then pieces of ash started falling from the sky. “That’s when I thought, maybe I should start packing.”

The decision to leave didn’t come easily. The community had never seen a fire like this before, and the speed was breathtaking. Even as Jenny raced to gather her belongings – grabbing her son’s favorite hoodies, her hard drive with family memories, and passports – she never imagined the fire would reach her own backyard.

That all changed in an instant. “I looked out my backyard, in complete shock, to see the trees consumed by towering orange flames,” she remembers.

“There was no time to think. I ran to my car and threw in what I had grabbed. I tried to make another trip, but the smoke was so thick I could barely breathe.”

As the fire spreads, neighbours help each other to safety

As she tried to leave her subdivision, Jenny was hit with a terrifying thought: “We were all trapped – there’s only one way out of our community and we were bumper to bumper, not moving,” she explains.

Jenny feared the worst. She called 911, but the operator was not even aware of the fire in Highland Park at that time. “All he told me was that if the flames caught up to my vehicle, I’d need to leave and go on foot. My first thought was, ‘if we go on foot, we’re not going to make it.’”

As she inched forward, Jenny did her best to alert her neighbours via social media to make sure that they had gotten out of their homes, as there were still no emergency alerts by this point to tell residents to evacuate. 

Five minutes after Jenny left her home her worst fears were confirmed. Her security system notified her that smoke was detected and then heat. She shares, “I knew right then that my home was gone.”

Thankfully, Jenny and her neighbours made it to safety. However, over 200 structures burned, and many beloved pets were lost to the flames.

“They ran in while we ran out”

It was not until 43-minutes after her home was engulfed in flames that the emergency evacuation alert finally came. More than a year on, Jenny’s anger about this delay bubbles right near the surface.

“If we had gotten that emergency alert earlier, it would have saved so many of us from so much trauma. Instead, we’re left with the memory of running for our lives.”

She continues, “We need a proper emergency plan in place, and no community should only have one exit. I also feel that the government needs to offer better support to first responders.”

“The firefighters? I can’t imagine the decisions they had to make in that moment. They ran in while we ran out. They are courageous heroes and they need more support from the government to deal with the toll that takes.”

Climate change makes any fire much worse

Jenny’s story is a powerful reminder that the impacts of climate change are not “out there” – they are here, now, and affecting communities in ways we are not prepared to handle.

In fact, the fire that destroyed her community was one of 220 wildfires in Nova Scotia alone in 2023. And this number is set to rise as climate change continues to supercharge the hot and dry conditions across Atlantic Canada. 

These are the very conditions that can turn a small fire – say from a flicked cigarette butt, or a lightning strike – into a highly destructive megafire that can wipe out entire communities.

A voice for change in Ottawa

A year later, Jenny reflects on how that day has changed her. “You never think something like this will happen to you,” she says. “But now, I have to be prepared for the possibility that it could happen again. And I want to help others get prepared too.”

That’s why she is joining My Climate Plan in Ottawa next week to share her story with key decision-makers and ask them to take action to protect communities like hers. 

Jenny’s journey shows that even when fear and uncertainty remain, the voices of those affected can lead to the changes we need for a safer future for all.

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