Wildfires in Fort McMurray
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On May 1, 2016, a wildfire began in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, just southwest of the town with 125,000 residents. This natural disaster, which has expanded to approximately 251,000 hectares of land, has surely not only influenced the people of Fort McMurray, but also affected the entire nation and brought in global concern.
Luckily, no lives were taken from the fire directly, however there was 2 casualties that were indirectly caused by the wildfire. Emily Ryan, 15, and her stepmother’s nephew, Aaron Hodgson, were evacuating along with 80,000 others from the area when their vehicle collided with a tractor-trailer. Unfortunately, both individuals were killed on the scene. Furthermore, these natural disasters not only directly affect the people in the area, but also create other hazards such as road safety during evacuation. This is yet another reason why the entire nation of Canada, as well as the global community, are showing support.
Specifically, the wildfires of Fort McMurray have strengthened Canadian identity and nationalistic presence. The City of Calgary, a popular destination for many evacuees during this time, had road signs throughout the city that said, “Welcome northern evacuees”, “Our home is your home”. The gesture as small as these signs is an important example of Canada’s unity in nationalism, as ultimately, everyone is truly affected by this disaster.
In order to help the people of Fort McMurray and surrounding areas, donations are being excepted in all forms, whether it be clothing, food, or money, all is appreciated. For example, Sikh truck drivers from the neighboring province, British Columbia, brought in nearly $1 million dollars worth of goods, with the donations coming from many areas in the province. The evident outreach fellow Canadians are expressing is yet another example of our country expressing nationalism by supporting each other in times of need.
Luckily, no lives were taken from the fire directly, however there was 2 casualties that were indirectly caused by the wildfire. Emily Ryan, 15, and her stepmother’s nephew, Aaron Hodgson, were evacuating along with 80,000 others from the area when their vehicle collided with a tractor-trailer. Unfortunately, both individuals were killed on the scene. Furthermore, these natural disasters not only directly affect the people in the area, but also create other hazards such as road safety during evacuation. This is yet another reason why the entire nation of Canada, as well as the global community, are showing support.
Specifically, the wildfires of Fort McMurray have strengthened Canadian identity and nationalistic presence. The City of Calgary, a popular destination for many evacuees during this time, had road signs throughout the city that said, “Welcome northern evacuees”, “Our home is your home”. The gesture as small as these signs is an important example of Canada’s unity in nationalism, as ultimately, everyone is truly affected by this disaster.
In order to help the people of Fort McMurray and surrounding areas, donations are being excepted in all forms, whether it be clothing, food, or money, all is appreciated. For example, Sikh truck drivers from the neighboring province, British Columbia, brought in nearly $1 million dollars worth of goods, with the donations coming from many areas in the province. The evident outreach fellow Canadians are expressing is yet another example of our country expressing nationalism by supporting each other in times of need.
We feel they are all our families.