The battle is still on to put out the massive wildfire – nicknamed “the beast” -- that devastated Fort McMurray and still blazing in northern Alberta.
Innisfailians have answered the call that they too are Alberta Strong, and have responded to the provincial state of emergency with offers to help put out the fire, and with compassion and determination to assist the 88,000 displaced Fort McMurray citizens.
Local citizens and businesses, either through fundraising or through the Canadian Red Cross and the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion, have already pledged thousands of dollars. A silent auction fundraiser is planned at the Fox & Hound on June 4. Innisfail's Andy Laing delivered a trailer full of food and supplies to Lac La Biche on the weekend. The Loft Society in Innisfail is creating housing for Fort McMurray citizens and their family members with developmental disabilities.
As for locals working in Fort McMurray when the blaze exploded out of control, they arrived safely home last week.
“It was just crazy. It was surreal. I have worked up there off and on for the past 10 years and to see all that damage, it was crazy,” said local oilpatch worker Blair Wall who frantically drove safely out of the area to get back home last week. “You hear about it and think about it but you don't realize it is real until you are looking at it.”
In the meantime, local firefighters are anxiously waiting for the call to join the hundreds already battling the horrific blaze, which finally slowed its growth and advance last weekend.
Last week, four firefighters from Didsbury, another four from Carstairs, five from Sundre and seven from Olds left to fight the inferno. Innisfail fire Chief Dean Clark said his department has registered with the provincial operations centre that is coordinating resources and his men are anxious to leave the moment they get the call.
“I've been getting daily calls from everybody wanting to go up. We've got 10 guys here who are going to go if we get called up, but we will break those down into two shifts of five so as to keep enough manpower here,” said Clark, who issued a total fire ban for the town on May 6, the same day as a provincewide one on the recreational use of off-road and all-terrain vehicles.
Despite the local ban, with fire hazard conditions in town now at high and extreme, Mayor Brian Spiller said the town's offer to help remains unchanged.
“As the event continues to unfold and develop, our offer of assistance will stand,” said Spiller. “As a municipality, we stand beside our neighbours to the north, and by all who have been affected by this disaster.”
In the meantime, the Innisfail RCMP is also pitching in. Last week, the local detachment sent Const. Abdul Sebbi to join hundreds of other Mounties who are helping other emergency responders.
“We have another to replace him if it's required, so we are prepared to send another one,” said Innisfail RCMP Sgt. Lori Eiler. “I can tell you that every member would love to go up there and be able to help in some regard, but we still have to police the communities we are in.”
And Innisfail schools could soon see new children. Kurt Sacher, the superintendent of schools for the Chinook's Edge School Division, said any displaced Fort McMurray child who needs a class will be accommodated anywhere in his jurisdiction, including Innisfail.
“We will go out of our way to accommodate them for sure. We've messaged out to our schools that we want to do the right thing,” said Sacher, adding his division has already received inquiries about placing children. “Our message has been, ‘let's do the best we can for these people and help them out.'”
For further information on how to make donations for displaced Fort McMurray citizens, area residents can go to the Canadian Red Cross website at http://www.redcross.ca, send an email to [email protected], or call toll free at 1-800-418-1111. Local and area residents can also contact the Innisfail Legion at 403-227-3622 for more information on the Fort McMurray Wildfire Relief Fund.
Dean Clark, Innisfail fire chief
"I've been getting daily calls from everybody wanting to go up. We've got 10 guys here who are going to go if we get called up."
