City of Calgary helps evacuees of fires in Northwest Territories

NEWS RELEASE

CALGARY – The City of Calgary is helping accommodate residents of the Northwest Territories who have been evacuated due to wildfires.

The Calgary Emergency Management Agency has activated the Municipal Emergency Plan to allow better co-ordination in accepting and accommodating displaced residents. The City is committed to help as many as 5,000 people find shelter and additional supports as the firefight in the north continues.

“We understand these are difficult times for the people who are fleeing to escape the fires,” said Iain Bushell, Director of Emergency Management and Community Safety. “We want to ensure that when they arrive in Calgary, they have access to accommodations, amenities, government services and mental health supports.”

The City has opened up a reception centre at the Calgary International Airport as many of the evacuated are expected by plane. For those who have driven to Calgary, there will be a reception centre at the Westin Calgary Airport after 2 p.m. The reception centres will include emotional and wellness support teams. Additionally, we are working with our partners and City shelters to accommodate pets with shelter or supplies as needed.

In addition to the helping those displaced, Calgary has also dispatched 10 personnel as an incident management team from Canada Task Force 2 – an all-hazards disaster response team. It is based out of Calgary and dedicated to emergency response, incident management, and urban search and rescue capabilities. The team is a partnership between The City of Calgary, The Province of Alberta, and the Government of Canada.

We know Calgarians are generous and want to help our neighbours who are impacted by these wildfires. Please continue to check the Northwest Territories website for recommended organizations to donate to or find a local campaign that you would like to support.

Please do not bring any donations to the reception centres in Calgary. We are not set up to take donations and get them to those who could benefit.

Many people may be feeling overwhelmed by the images that they’re seeing and recognizing the impact it’s taking. Our hearts go out to everyone, but if you’re struggling our partners at 211 are available for anyone to connect who needs support. Just dial 211 and they will connect you with the best support for to assist.