Evacuees from Little Grand Rapids say they're excited, surprised to be going home

On Saturday, one month to the day after Little Grand Rapids was evacuated, people started to return home to the Manitoba community manyunsure of what they would find, but relieved tofinally be going home nevertheless.

"I'm just glad to go home and sleep in my own bed. It's been kinda lonesome in the city. I want to go home," said Terry Boushie.

He said he was surprisedwhen he found out he would be heading back on Saturday, but is anxious to get back and start getting his life back together.

Little Grand Rapids bandCoun. Clinton Keepermade the announcement the evacuees would be heading home at a benefit concerton Thursday, where musicians performed in honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day.

"It's going to be about 300 [people going home] a day, on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Over a course of three days, they will be flown back to Little Grand Rapids," he said.

On May 23 a wildfire, estimated to behalf the size of Winnipeg, was bearing down on Little Grand Rapids,about265 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg,and nearby Pauingassi First Nation.

The Red Cross and Canadian Armed Forces helped nearly 1,000 people from Little Grand Rapids come to Winnipeg, where they've been living in hotels ever since.

More than 400 others were evacuated from Pauingassi. They're scheduled to return home Monday.

"I miss my house and everything. Probably my home is a disaster, because my fridge, power's out," Boushiesaid at the Winnipeg airport, explaining he had a large store of fish in his freezer.

Last week, the Red Cross flew new freezers to Little Grand Rapids andPauingassiFirst Nation to replace the ones left behind. Officials saidbecause power was cut off to the communities during the fire, the frozen food in the old freezerswas rottenand many of the units were leaking chemicals.

Donovan Boushiesaid he was excited and happyto go back home. Donovan said the time in Winnipeg"was all right, not too bad, [but] it's kinda not safe."

Katrina Duck said she missed theviews of the lake in Little Grand Rapids, which she described as"beautiful."

"[I] kinda miss home,family, being aroundpeople.... I kinda felt homesick."

Roderick Mayhamhas lived in Little Grand Rapids for 10 years. He's scheduled to go back Sunday andsaid he's "relieved to get out. Get back and see what the real damage is out there."

Mayhamexplained his house is close to the edge of the communityand while he's been told his is safe, his neighbours weren't so lucky.

"Apparently where I live there's going to be a lot of black trees. My neighbours lost their houses."

Mayham, a grandfather, said one of the things he's looking forward to the most is letting the kids get back to being kids.

"Here [in Winnipeg] you gotta watch them, keep your eye on them."