JULY 2015
WESTERN CANADA WILDFIRES A series of devastating wildfires has swept across northern Saskatchewan, forcing the evacuation of residents in several towns and villages to safe havens further south. A perfect storm of conditions, combining hot temperatures, extremely dry weather and lightning strikes, have threatened populated areas throughout northern Saskatchewan. Hundreds of firefighters are attempting to control the blazes and keep them at bay in order to protect homes and businesses. The strength of the wildfires is not limited to a single province. Both British Columbia and Alberta are also at the mercy of similar conditions as fires tear through forests and thick and heavy smoke fills the air.
THE SITUATION 51 communities impacted by fire
Thousands of residents forced to leave
280 highly trained Red Cross volunteers mobilized
7,800 evacuated people under the Red Cross care
7 shelters managed by the Red Cross
Top image provided by Corey Hardcastle / Ministry of Environment for the Government of Saskatchewan
THE IMPACT Thousands of people have been forced from their homes in 51 communities. From Turnor Lake in the west to Stanley Mission in the east, residents have been evacuated to safer ground in Regina, Prince Albert, Saskatoon and now Cold Lake, Alberta. Often with less than 24 hours’ notice, residents of smoke-filled towns have been mandated to leave their homes and travel several hundred kilometers to the south, out of the reach of the flames. While many in Saskatchewan have opened their homes to friends and family, others with nowhere to go have moved into shelters to protect themselves from these terrible and dangerous conditions. Imagine the uncertainties these families faced when told to flee, with the image of their community in the rearview mirror. What should they bring? Would the fires reach their home? When would they get to return?
URGENT AND IMMEDIATE RISK This has been called the largest evacuation in Saskatchewan’s history. The devastating impact of the fires has been met with a fierce determination to get people out of harm’s way. While the damage has been limited to forests and sparsely populated areas, the impacted communities have been smothered by smoke that fills the air and has blotted out the sun.
The winds that have prevented firefighters from controlling the fires in many places have also presented real threats to communities. Complete and total evacuation has already been a necessary step in the areas surrounding La Ronge, a town four hours north of Saskatoon, with further evacuations in other areas a very real possibility. Images from this page provided by Corey Hardcastle / Ministry of Environment for the Government of Saskatchewan
OUR RESPONSE The Canadian Red Cross is responding with emergency assistance on behalf of the Government of Saskatchewan. As a trusted partner of the provincial government, our expertise has been leveraged to manage shelters and provide for the immediate needs of evacuees. In the first few days of the emergency, the Red Cross provided food, clothing, hygiene kits and most importantly the feeling of safety to people who have had to leave everything behind. As the response crossed the provincial border, the Canadian Red Cross stepped in immediately with cots, blankets and hygiene kits to set up another shelter in Cold Lake, Alberta that now houses over 550 residents. A team of 280 from the Red Cross have now congregated in Saskatchewan and Alberta to tackle this emergency. Our highly-trained volunteers are veterans of the worst kinds of emergencies and disasters imaginable; this is the team managing seven Red Cross shelters and coordinating efforts to care and protect for those who have left their homes.
HOW YOU CAN HELP As the emergency evolves, the Canadian Red Cross is closely monitoring the situation and readying to act. In this acute response phase, the partnership between the government of Saskatchewan and the Red Cross is solidly providing for victims of this emergency. As such, we are not actively soliciting donations for this response but instead are accepting donations to our Canadian Disaster Relief Fund. Donations will be used to support the ongoing efforts of the Canadian Red Cross, including the prepositioning of relief supplies and training of disaster management volunteers so they are ready to assist, just as they have here, right from the start. We don’t know how a disaster like this will evolve or when the next will strike, but experience has taught us to ready ourselves for whatever is next – whether here in Saskatchewan or across the country. You can make a donation to the Canadian Disaster Relief Fund at redcross.ca/donate or by calling 1-800-418-1111.
always trying to think three days “ We’re ahead. It’s reacting to today’s needs and
”
thinking about what may happen tomorrow. JP Taschereau Disaster Management Specialist Canadian Red Cross