Tribute to Ione Christensen, A Champion for Safe Evacuation

Recent tributes to Ione with her death on September 15 didn’t mention Ione’s ongoing

commitment to her community until just before her passing. Ione was an active member of

the non-profit citizens group, the Wildfire Awareness Society. The group was formed in

2017 under the title” Citizens for a FireSmart Whitehorse” in reaction to the devastating

wildfire in Fort McMurray.

Ione joined the group as a passionate advocate for evacuation awareness and

preparedness. Her knowledge of the risk to Whitehorse was based on lived experience

when the Takhini wildfire tracked south towards Whitehorse in 1958. The 30-mile fire front

advancing on Whitehorse came within five miles of the White Pass tank farm before its

advance was halted. She also had firsthand experience with a wildfire that threatened Fort

Selkirk in her early days.

Ione carried an evacuation kit in her vehicle from April until late fall with all that was

needed to be ready to leave the city if an evacuation was necessary. When she moved into

Normandy House, she relentlessly tried to educate residents about the wildfire risk. She

urged residents to prepare their evacuation kits as well as have an evacuation plan with

their family . She organized meetings with residents and distributed a complete list of items

they should have for a 72-hour evacuation kit. Her ‘Whitehorse-appropriate’ kit was based

on our remote location and limited options of evacuation options.

Ione was active at Wildfire Awareness meetings with City Council, Yukon Emergency

Measures Organization and Yukon Wildland Fire Management to educate and promote

evacuation planning

To illustrate how the threat of fire to the community has increased, Ione showed photos of

Whitehorse in 1958. At that time there were almost no trees surrounding the town due to

firewood cutting for the steamboats. Sixty five years later, current pictures from the same

vantage points show dense spruce/pine forests surrounding the much-expanded city.

When Normandy House planted conifers around the building she was up in arms and

advocated that the City bring in new rules regulating vegetation to reduce the hazard that

highly flammable vegetation poses.

She hosted regular meetings of the Society at Normandy House. When a WAS meeting

coincided with her 90th birthday, she still planned to attend as well at meet with friends.

Unfortunately, she had to cancel both when she got sick. As someone who was constantly

feeding others, Ione still made sure both events had her birthday cake.

We all admired and appreciated her concern and ongoing commitment to improving the

wellbeing and protecting the quality of life of Whitehorse residents. We will miss her!

Wildfire Awareness Society

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