Assistance Needed for Fort McMurray Evacuees

FORT MCMURRAY - Alberta’s provincial state of emergency continues as Fort McMurray fires double to over 161,000 hectares (Edmonton is roughly 68,000 hectares). As of Sunday afternoon, there are over 500 firefighters battling the blaze.

Today, Alberta’s Emergency Management agency said “phase two” of the response plan proceed this week, involving damage assessments of the area. First responders have dedicated efforts on the city’s critical infrastructure, helping speed up re-entry to damaged areas.

Although, “Up until [Monday] the focus remains on protecting what’s there, not counting what’s there,” many news agencies report over 1,600 homes and buildings have been destroyed. The cleanup process will be immense, with initial damage estimates making it the most expensive disaster in Canadian history.

To help plan an initial response, a Canadian Global Response assessment team with US partners have set up a Disaster Response Command Centre in nearby Edmonton. The team has actively been coordinating with the NGO Council of AB, which assists provincial disaster relief victims.

CGR president Abraham Shepherd is on his way from CGR’s response to the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe to assist in the collective effort in responding to the disaster of Fort McMurray’s wildfire. He has been in daily briefing of the situation, and shares, “Our response requires all of our efforts to stand with our fellow citizens of Fort McMurray in their time of need.”

“Please get involved and help us make a difference. The people of Fort McMurray need you.”

Thank you for your donations and volunteer inquiries! Thousands of dollars in initial funds received have already been deployed through local volunteers, with food, medications, and clothing distributed to families in need. We are requesting further donations, which will be used to purchase basic necessities as Edmonton received a second wave of evacuees this past weekend.

Photos: Darren RD / Highway 63, South / May 3, 2016 / CC license, Wikipedia
Mel Cruikshank / planning Fort McMurray fire initial response / May 7, 2016 / used with permission.