It’s all hands on deck in Calgary as the city does its part to help those fleeing wildfires that devastated Jasper, Alta., and support firefighting efforts for the community.
One of two wildfires that threatened the resort town raged into it Wednesday night, engulfing businesses, homes and other structures.
Residents and tourists had been asked to evacuate days earlier, and a number of those had to make a long drive around the burning highways that surrounded the community to seek refuge in Calgary, where an emergency reception centre had been set up.
On arrival, however, confusion occurred as some were temporarily turned away.
“The previous night, we’d had nearly zero overnight visitors, so we had modified our hours to close earlier in the evening,” said Sue Henry, chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency.
“However, with the fire reaching the townsite last night, we were able to quickly adjust and reopen to any overnight travellers.”
She added the centre reopened for overnight access at 11 p.m. to prepare for any late arrivals.
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek apologized for the confusion and confirmed the centre will stay open for the next 48 hours so that anyone who is fleeing from the fires can get the help they need as soon as possible.
“I can only imagine what it must have been like to have to rapidly evacuate and then drive 12 to 15 hours to show up here and be met with closed doors,” she said.
As of Thursday morning, 465 evacuees have registered in Calgary and been accommodated through its reception centre.
A longtime Jasper resident says the road to Calgary was long and winding. Matthew Murray left home around 2 a.m. Tuesday.
“We slept in the car for a couple of hours then went on to Kamloops, found a hotel there. Then we came here [to Calgary] to try to get to the evacuee centre. They say 8 a.m. tomorrow. Luckily we found a place to stay,” he told CBC News late Wednesday.
Murray, who works at Syrahs of Jasper, an upscale restaurant, saw a photograph that made his heart sink.
“I saw a picture of flames behind a church, and my house is basically right behind that church,” he said, pausing. “I would be willing to bet my house is on fire or is already burned.”
Murray fears that a town reduced to rubble may lose its charm and identity as it is rebuilt.
“There will be rebuilding and it will probably be a lot more corporate because that’s where the money is,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to have anywhere near the same character or feeling that it’s had.”
Canada Task Force 2, a national disaster response team based in Calgary, has deployed 19 personnel in support of fighting the wildfires in Jasper at the request of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency. The team includes emergency managers, paramedics, firefighters, fire chiefs and police officers.
“We have sent enough personnel so that we can cover both a day shift and a night shift, and they will be working around the clock in support of this emergency,” Henry said.
“The team has also deployed with military food rations and tents and sleeping bags so that they can be self-sufficient if needed.”