Strangers Open Arms – And Doors – to Alberta’s Wildfire Evacuees
Michael Robinson Peter Edwards
They fled to campgrounds, work camps, hotels, school gyms, and the homes and backyards of strangers.
They brought dogs and babies and horses and little else besides the clothes they were wearing.
The evacuees of Fort McMurray were relieved to receive help from strangers nearby.
Ed Saunderson and his wife Sara have hosted close to 40 people, many of them unknown to them, at their home on the shores of Willow Lake since yesterday.
Despite their location 30 kilometers outside of the Fort McMurray, Saunderson told the Star’s Michael Robinson in Alberta that he was anxious over whether or not they too would be evacuated.
“I’ve got my staff, cousins . . . people I don’t even know are here,” he said. “They are inside the basement, the garage, in my fifth wheeler (mobile home).
“They are everywhere.”
The couple owns a plumbing and heating business downtown. When they heard about the evacuation, Saunderson urged his wife, Sara, to return home. She took the store’s staff with her, and others soon followed.
“I never anticipated anything like this,” he said. “But when people are in need, you have to help them,” he said. “It’s a moral issue . . if I can help ya, I’ll help ya.”
His wife said the couple also opened their doors to pets as well.
“We have had 8 dogs, 11 cats, a ferret, snake and even a bird showed up last night,” she said.
The house is facing water and fuel shortages.
“I don’t know how much longer we can stay here,” she said. “So many people have already lost so much, and we are hearing it is supposed to get worse and I am asking, how much . . . worse can it get.”
Scott Long of the Alberta Emergency Agency called it “Albertans supporting Albertans,” adding he has taken four people from Fort McMurray into his own residence.
Support came from big corporations and average citizens.
“Oil and gas have opened up a lot of its camps,” Long said.
Shell Canada and Syncrude have offered space in their northern Alberta camps for evacuees fleeing the wildfire that continues to burn through Fort McMurray.
“We’ve received tremendous support from communities across the province,” Alberta Premier Rachel Notley told an early afternoon press conference on Wednesday.
“When disaster strikes, we find solutions,” Notley said. “ . . . And we come out stronger on the other side.”
Notley noted that it was a tough drive out of Fort McMurray, but that evacuees are being welcomed at the end of their drives.
“Slowly, the congestion is thinning out and people are making their way to receiving communities,” Notley said.
They offered up pet-friendly locations and even room for horses.
Others mobilized to deliver water, foods, sunscreen, pet food and whatever else they thought Albertans on the roadways might want.
There were also efforts to connect strangers with missing family members.
There was an offer to give a ride to a woman and her horses who were photographed fleeing the blaze a ride.
One of the many Albertans reaching out to strangers was Char Remarchuk-Kaye of Leduc:
“My name is char, I live in spruce grove. I have gone and purchased a lot of toiletries, all are brand new and if you are in the area and need any of what you see, please contact me … I also, again, have room here in my house for anyone who needs it and animals and kids are welcomed. My heart is with you all”
Jazmyn Vogt and her family also reached out to help, offering camp grounds, showers and even trampoline access:
“Our acreage out by Onoway and Stony Plain is being opened up to the evacs of Fort Mac! We have tents and trailers coming! Kid friendly, pet friendly childcare is being offered as well, all free of charge! Trampoline sprinkler hot showers washer dryer kids clothing and adult clothing!!! If you or anyone you know or love is needing a place to stay please contact me!”
Megan Taylor of Sherwood organized things on Facebook, adding that it would be poor form to charge any money for helping out strangers in a time of need: “Accommodations: All those able to open up their homes, please post your info here. So we have one post with all the gathered info, so it is easy to access. Please don’t charge people money to stay with you, they have enough worries. Thank you for your kindness.”
The Shell camp is about 95 kilometers north of the flames.
Cameron Yost of Shell Canada said the operation’s camp could accommodate hundreds of evacuees.
Will Gibson, a spokesman for Syncrude, which has a plant about 35 kilometers north of town, was himself one of the evacuees heading north away from the flames.
Most of the evacuees have gone south, but some 10,000 of the 80,000 evacuees from the fire headed north, Notley said.
As the fire grew into a looming threat Sunday evening, there was no shortage of people volunteering to help at the Suncor Community Leisure Centre, which the municipality designated as the official evacuation centre.
“I want to give back to this community as much as I can because I love it here,” Keyano College social work student Kristen Brenton said in a Facebook message.
Best Canadian Motor Inns has also offered discounted rates to fire evacuees.
By late Tuesday, the Noralta Lodge north of Fort McMurray was already full and evacuees headed further north.
As news of the fire spread, offers of help filled social media.
The Edmonton’s Catholic school district offered evacuees space in its 90 schools.
The Hastings Lake community hall, which is about a half hour drive from Edmonton, offered its space and kitchen facilities for anyone fleeing the blaze, and noted on Facebook that pets are also welcome.
The fire was supposed to get worse on Wednesday before it gets better and First Nation communities in northern Alberta braced themselves for a second round of evacuations.
At the Fort McMurray First Nation #468, residents were warned to keep a full tank of gas, make sure the ringers on their phones are on and answer any knocks on their doors.
“This may be an issue for us if it keeps coming our way or if any fires start closer to our area,” a notice on the community’s web and Facebook pages says. “Please remember to keep enough gas in your vehicle to be able to make it to Lac La Biche or Grassland if we have to be evacuated. Leave your phone ringers on and answer your doors if you hear knocks. Keep in touch with family members and plan in case we need to be evacuated. Remember the five Ps of evacuation: People, Prescriptions, Papers, Personal Needs, Priceless Items like PICTURES.”
There have been no reports of fatalities or injuries as a result of the wildfire. Call Red Cross to register and find loved ones: 1-888-350-6070
#ymmfire #fortmacfire
They fled to campgrounds, work camps, hotels, school gyms, and the homes and backyards of strangers.
They brought dogs and babies and horses and little else besides the clothes they were wearing.
The evacuees of Fort McMurray were relieved to receive help from strangers nearby.
Despite their location 30 kilometers outside of the Fort McMurray, Saunderson told the Star’s Michael Robinson in Alberta that he was anxious over whether or not they too would be evacuated.
“I’ve got my staff, cousins . . . people I don’t even know are here,” he said. “They are inside the basement, the garage, in my fifth wheeler (mobile home).
“They are everywhere.”
The couple owns a plumbing and heating business downtown. When they heard about the evacuation, Saunderson urged his wife, Sara, to return home. She took the store’s staff with her, and others soon followed.
“I never anticipated anything like this,” he said. “But when people are in need, you have to help them,” he said. “It’s a moral issue . . if I can help ya, I’ll help ya.”
His wife said the couple also opened their doors to pets as well.
“We have had 8 dogs, 11 cats, a ferret, snake and even a bird showed up last night,” she said.
The house is facing water and fuel shortages.
“I don’t know how much longer we can stay here,” she said. “So many people have already lost so much, and we are hearing it is supposed to get worse and I am asking, how much . . . worse can it get.”
Scott Long of the Alberta Emergency Agency called it “Albertans supporting Albertans,” adding he has taken four people from Fort McMurray into his own residence.
Support came from big corporations and average citizens.
“Oil and gas have opened up a lot of its camps,” Long said.
Shell Canada and Syncrude have offered space in their northern Alberta camps for evacuees fleeing the wildfire that continues to burn through Fort McMurray.
“We’ve received tremendous support from communities across the province,” Alberta Premier Rachel Notley told an early afternoon press conference on Wednesday.
“When disaster strikes, we find solutions,” Notley said. “ . . . And we come out stronger on the other side.”
Notley noted that it was a tough drive out of Fort McMurray, but that evacuees are being welcomed at the end of their drives.
“Slowly, the congestion is thinning out and people are making their way to receiving communities,” Notley said.
They offered up pet-friendly locations and even room for horses.
Others mobilized to deliver water, foods, sunscreen, pet food and whatever else they thought Albertans on the roadways might want.
There were also efforts to connect strangers with missing family members.
There was an offer to give a ride to a woman and her horses who were photographed fleeing the blaze a ride.
One of the many Albertans reaching out to strangers was Char Remarchuk-Kaye of Leduc:
“My name is char, I live in spruce grove. I have gone and purchased a lot of toiletries, all are brand new and if you are in the area and need any of what you see, please contact me … I also, again, have room here in my house for anyone who needs it and animals and kids are welcomed. My heart is with you all”
Jazmyn Vogt and her family also reached out to help, offering camp grounds, showers and even trampoline access:
“Our acreage out by Onoway and Stony Plain is being opened up to the evacs of Fort Mac! We have tents and trailers coming! Kid friendly, pet friendly childcare is being offered as well, all free of charge! Trampoline sprinkler hot showers washer dryer kids clothing and adult clothing!!! If you or anyone you know or love is needing a place to stay please contact me!”
Megan Taylor of Sherwood organized things on Facebook, adding that it would be poor form to charge any money for helping out strangers in a time of need: “Accommodations: All those able to open up their homes, please post your info here. So we have one post with all the gathered info, so it is easy to access. Please don’t charge people money to stay with you, they have enough worries. Thank you for your kindness.”
The Shell camp is about 95 kilometers north of the flames.
Cameron Yost of Shell Canada said the operation’s camp could accommodate hundreds of evacuees.
Will Gibson, a spokesman for Syncrude, which has a plant about 35 kilometers north of town, was himself one of the evacuees heading north away from the flames.
Most of the evacuees have gone south, but some 10,000 of the 80,000 evacuees from the fire headed north, Notley said.
As the fire grew into a looming threat Sunday evening, there was no shortage of people volunteering to help at the Suncor Community Leisure Centre, which the municipality designated as the official evacuation centre.
“I want to give back to this community as much as I can because I love it here,” Keyano College social work student Kristen Brenton said in a Facebook message.
Best Canadian Motor Inns has also offered discounted rates to fire evacuees.
By late Tuesday, the Noralta Lodge north of Fort McMurray was already full and evacuees headed further north.
As news of the fire spread, offers of help filled social media.
The Edmonton’s Catholic school district offered evacuees space in its 90 schools.
The Hastings Lake community hall, which is about a half hour drive from Edmonton, offered its space and kitchen facilities for anyone fleeing the blaze, and noted on Facebook that pets are also welcome.
The fire was supposed to get worse on Wednesday before it gets better and First Nation communities in northern Alberta braced themselves for a second round of evacuations.
At the Fort McMurray First Nation #468, residents were warned to keep a full tank of gas, make sure the ringers on their phones are on and answer any knocks on their doors.
“This may be an issue for us if it keeps coming our way or if any fires start closer to our area,” a notice on the community’s web and Facebook pages says. “Please remember to keep enough gas in your vehicle to be able to make it to Lac La Biche or Grassland if we have to be evacuated. Leave your phone ringers on and answer your doors if you hear knocks. Keep in touch with family members and plan in case we need to be evacuated. Remember the five Ps of evacuation: People, Prescriptions, Papers, Personal Needs, Priceless Items like PICTURES.”
There have been no reports of fatalities or injuries as a result of the wildfire. Call Red Cross to register and find loved ones: 1-888-350-6070
#ymmfire #fortmacfire