The CBWC is working with Canadian Baptist Ministries to provide immediate emergency relief and assistance on the ground in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Together, we are working with the Salvation Army, the local Fellowship Baptist Church in Fort McMurray, and others supporting evacuees.
The unpredictability of the wildfires that began this past Tuesday have led the province of Alberta to call a state of emergency, and all of its 80,000 residents have been forced to flee with the fires having burned through about 85,000 hectares of land already. Mass convoys and airlifts are now getting thousands of evacuees to safety further south.
We continue to pray for the safety of all those impacted by the fire, who have lost their lands, homes and communities, as well as for all the emergency personnel on the ground, including the fire crews, military, RCMP officers, EMS workers, and all those who are working tirelessly to control the fires and keep residents safe.
Make a donation to the Fort McMurray relief effort in Alberta today. Your donations will automatically be designated to help people in need during this crisis. We thank you for your crucial support in caring for those in need in times of emergency.
Fort McMurray Crisis Relief
Late Wednesday, May 4, the province of Alberta declared a state of emergency as wildfires have completely consumed Fort McMurray, an urban service area in northeast Alberta that is surrounded by boreal forest, in the middle of the Athabasca oil sands.
All 80,000 residents have been forced to flee, with more than 1,110 firefighters, 145 helicopters, 138 pieces of heavy equipment and 22 air tankers being used to battle the flames, according to CTV News. The fires have burned through about 85,000 hectares of land so far, and the unpredictability of its path and the weather have sent the displaced to communities of Anzac, Lac La Biche, Edmonton, and some as far as Calgary. As evacuees try to flee in the midst of crawling highway traffic, fuel and food is becoming scarce, leaving cars stranded. We thank God that there have been no reports of fire-related injuries or deaths. Many evacuees are now being airlifted or sent by convoy to new locations in the south for their safety and long-term accommodation.
The CBWC is working with Canadian Baptist Ministries to provide immediate emergency relief and assistance on the ground in Fort McMurray, Alberta, working with the Salvation Army, the local Fellowship Baptist Church in Fort McMurray, and other churches and individuals that are in our network that are supporting those who have left the city.
We continue to pray for the safety of all those impacted by the fire, who have lost their homes and communities, as well as for all the emergency personnel on the ground, including the fire crews, military, RCMP officers, EMS workers, and all those who are working tirelessly to control the fires and keep residents safe.