Fort McMurray evacuees gathered among the news cameras and stood on chairs to hear a little bit of what interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose had to say Monday during an impromptu visit to Lac La Biche, Alta., — a town that has taken in thousands of people seeking refuge from a massive wildfire. Flanked by Wildrose Leader Brian Jean and Fort McMurray's Tory MP David Yurgida, the leader of the Official Opposition began by pointing out that she hadn't come to make political theatre of criticizing the federal government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"This is my home province, so of course I am here," she told a horde of media gathered outside the Bold Center, a sprawling recreational facility that is currently home to 420 evacuees. More than 4,700 other people have registered with the Red Cross and come for hot meals, essential supplies and warm clothes as the temperature dropped. The small town of about 2,500 people quickly became a destination after the mandatory evacuation of Fort McMurray was ordered last Tuesday. The parking lot at the rec centre is packed with RVs, while some evacuees have chosen to live in their cars. "I am not going to be critical of the prime minister," she said, adding that "he has his reasons for not being here, and I am sure he'll be here at some point." Infrastructure funding Although firefighters managed to save about 85 per cent of the structures in Fort McMurray, the damage is still breathtaking. Inside the building, evacuees watched on television as CBC reporters live broadcast a trip through burned-out remains of parts of the town. Some tried to identify their homes in the ruins, while others pointed out what had been their favourite spot to grab some food or play with their kids. It could take years to rebuild, and Ambrose said that should be the government's priority in the coming weeks and months. "The only request I've made so far of the prime minister so far is to start to re-prioritize some of the infrastructure funding. There's only so much, and this community is going to need it," she said to scattered applause from people in the small crowd.