As wildfires continue to engulf Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged the full support of the government to help the province in one of the biggest natural calamities it has ever experienced.
Canadians are coming aboard as well to offer help and assistance via the Internet and social media.
On Twitter, people are encouraged to use the hashtag #ymmhelps to let fleeing residents know where they can find a place to sleep and rest. Airbnb has also activated a Disaster Response Tool so that people can use the site to find a place to stay until May 21.
A Facebook group has been set up for residents from areas outside of the hot zone to offer their spare rooms and couches to the nearly nine thousand people who were forced to evacuate.
Facebook, as well, has activated a safety check feature for residents to let their friends and family know online that they are out of harm's way.
According to reports, the nation is coming together to open up doors for their fellow citizens. Oil companies are letting families bunk in their worker camps, First Nations reserves are welcoming evacuees, and the Northlands Exhibition Centre in Edmonton converted its main reception area to accommodate more than 1,000 people.
CTV News Canada has put together a comprehensive list of emergency and help services available for Albertans seeking a safe place to sleep and find updated information on the status of the wildfires.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared during a press conference on May 4 that federal Liberal government will give its “total support” to the province of Alberta as efforts are underway to stop the wildfires as well as when it's time to rebuild the areas affected by the blaze.
“For those who have been affected, this fire is absolutely devastating. It is a loss of a scale that is hard for any of us to imagine. As Prime Minister, I want you to know our government and all Canadians will stand by you now and when it is time to rebuild,” he said.
Canada's Minister for Public Safety, Ralph Goodale, also added that the government is working closely with the Red Cross to stockpile supplies and emergency kits for evacuees.
“The good news – if there is good news out of this tragic situation – is obviously so far, there do not appear to be any fatalities or indeed any serious injuries,” Goodale also said.
Many are already saying that the wildfire which has caused the biggest evacuation in Alberta history is the result of global warming, however, Trudeau cautioned that it is still too early to speculate and the main priority remains the safety of the residents and helping them and the city to recover from the long-term damage of the wildfire.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region | Flickr
