Calgary opens reception centre for Jasper wildfire evacuees
Posted Jul 23, 2024 5:51 pm.
Last Updated Jul 23, 2024 7:02 pm.
Calgary has opened a reception centre in the city’s northwest to support those evacuating the Jasper wildfires.
The city expects hundreds, if not thousands, of people evacuating Jasper to arrive at the reception centre at the Shouldice Arena near 16 Avenue NW and Home Road.
“We have opened our emergency operations center and activated our municipal emergency plan,” says Chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) Sue Henry.
Henry says those who have been evacuated as part of the Jasper wildfires can go to the centre to register. Accommodation will be provided through a network of hotels and support will be available for those that are traveling in RV style vehicles.
The city says those evacuees coming in with pets will also be given assistance and anyone that needs mental health support, staff will be available.
This evacuation reception centre opened at 11 a.m. Tuesday, but as of 3 p.m., CEMA officials confirmed the registration of only one wildfire evacuee.
The city and the province are unsure how many evacuees will end up here.
“I would say that some folks might decide to go elsewhere and we have very little control over that,” says Stephen Lacroix, the senior assistant deputy minister and managing director at Alberta Emergency Management Agency.
WATCH: Jasper wildfire evacuees escaping through Banff
Whether or not they require accommodations, evacuees from Jasper are recommended to register with the province online at emergencyregistration.alberta.ca.
The City of Calgary says they understand Calgarians might want to help, but right now they are not set up to accept any kind of material donations as the city’s focus is on helping evacuees with temporary lodging.
The plan is to keep the evacuation centre open until it is no longer needed.
The province is estimating 10,000 people – a combination of residents and seasonal workers – were forced to evacuate Jasper National Park because of nearby wildfires late Monday evening.
Jasper National Park says the priority Tuesday is to protect the town and the community by limiting wildfire growth towards town, Highway 16 and critical infrastructure.
