A veteran Alberta wildland firefighter is in the hospital after suffering a serious injury while battling the wildfire in his home community. On May 5, the wildfire hit East Prairie Metis Settlement quickly, as fires broke out across the province. Within minutes, residents were fleeing for safety — relatives came to Frankie Payou and Melodie Robinson’s home to warn them it was time to evacuate. …With 14 years of firefighting under his belt, Payou fire-proofed the family’s home, then started to do the same for others. He was gone not even 15 minutes when his own home caught fire, said Jessica Supernault, a relative of Robinson’s. His mother’s house also caught fire and burned. …On May 14, Robinson, who was staying at a hotel with her children, received a call that Payou was being transported to the hospital after a tree fell on his head, leaving him unconscious.