The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is creating a gathering place for Fort Chipewyan evacuees beginning this Friday.
Recognizing the need for community connection, Fort Chipewyan on the Snye is an opportunity for community members to come together, be close to the water and visit each other.
This is a supportive space where community members and their relatives can participate in ceremonies and activities that promote wellness and connection.
The gathering place will open on Friday, June 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and remain open daily until it’s safe for residents to return home.
An Elder will begin and end each day with a prayer. Food will be available for breakfast and lunch with refreshments served throughout the day.
Shuttle service will also be provided.
Fire Update:
Alberta Wildfire is reporting that wildfire MWF-025 is approximately 4.5 km from Allison Bay residences, approximately 2.5 km from the Fort Chipewyan airport and approximately 7 km from Fort Chipewyan. This wildfire is classified as out of control and is approximately 32,667 ha in size.
On Wednesday, we saw extreme fire activity. The southwest winds pushed the wildfire towards the northeast, which caused wildfire growth on the northeast flank. The wildfire did not grow towards Fort Chipewyan, the airport or Allison Bay residences.
Currently, there are a total of 289 personnel, which includes firefighters and structure protection personnel working to contain this wildfire. There are also multiple aircraft and several pieces of heavy equipment. Included are 65 personnel that were deployed by the Canadian Armed Forces to assist in firefighting efforts.
