Fort McMurray fire a challenge for autistic children

Henry Dahl is afraid of fires.

"It's one of my biggest fears, it might burn me to death," said the 10-year-old, who has autism. 

So on May 3, when he was sitting in class at his school in Fort McMurray and looked out the window he saw his biggest fear.

"All of a sudden I saw the sky darkening and the air red," he said. "I knew there was a fire headed towards Fort McMurray and I started to worry."

Then the flames reached the city. 

Henry's mother Jennifer Dahl had 40 minutes to pack up the house before leaving home, and trying to get out of Fort McMurray. When the family stopped to fuel up, Henry was looking at the sky.

"Henry and his dad were the first to see flames coming up over Beacon Hill," Dahl said. "Henry started screaming, and screaming about the fire."

Jennifer gave Henry a blanket to scream into, or cover his eyes with when he became too overwhelmed.

They arrived in Sherwood Park late Tuesday night to stay with Henry's Grandfather.

It wasn't just the Dahl family making the journey with an autistic child.

There are about 180 families in Fort McMurray that have children with autism.

Knowing this, the Children's Autism Services of Edmonton (CASE) opened its doors to any families in need.

Terri Duncan, the Executive Director of CASE, said they've helped around 50 families in whatever way they can.

"These kids were just so deregulated and so upset the whole time," she said. 

"It's hard for everyone, but for kids with autism you have to multiply that by 100."

Being able to take Henry to the centre gave Jennifer and her husband the time to map out a plan for how to tell Henry their house had been destroyed by the fire.

"In the first week we didn't know for sure what happened to our house, so we didn't know whether to tell him if it was gone or not," Dahl said.

"So when Henry would ask, 'is our house okay?' I would have to say 'I don't know' and that doesn't sit well with a child with autism, that uncertainty."

Something that helped Henry was receiving new sensory items — toys, games, noise canceling headphones, anything that helps ease anxiety.

A kind-hearted Edmonton father of an autistic child who visits CASE, covered the cost of any sensory item that evacuee families needed.  

"People who don't know autism don't think of that," said Dahl. "I didn't think of that, I didn't pack any sensory items. So its really, really helped."

There's still a long journey ahead for the Dahl family. They've avoided the news and the weather channel because it's hard for Henry to hear about what's happening.

But Henry is staying positive, and he's already started to compile a list of things he wants his new home to have. 

A coat of teal paint, big windows, and a fireplace.