Fire's rapid spread takes residents, officials by surprise
Elise Stolte and Ben Gelinas, edmontonjournal.com    Originally
published on May 17, 2011.   When the wind changed, everything
changed.  As a forest fire burned southeast of Slave Lake on
Sunday morning, Farron Gillespie decided to take his kids
swimming.  On the radio, town officials said there was no need
to evacuate.  Then the wind picked up and the fire jumped two
highways, destroyed a truck stop and threw sparks onto downtown
roofs.  When Gillespie got home, the smoke was so thick he had
trouble breathing.  His truck wouldn't start. A neighbour ran
down the block to boost it. The tank was empty. He crossed his
fingers and prayed the single jerry can of gas he saved for the
lawn mower would be enough to get his family to Athabasca.
Bushes in the backyard were already burning as he and his wife,
Melissa Chisaakay, sped away, their one-year-old on her lap.  As
they drove, officials still weren't calling for an evacuation.
"That was the stupidest