Calgary opens centre at Stampede Park for Alberta wildfire evacuees

The City of Calgary is helping the relief effort for those affected by the wildfires in central and northern Alberta, including sending personnel to help battle fires and opening a reception centre for fleeing residents.

Sue Henry, chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency, shared details of the reception centre and other supports being sent from Calgary.

As of right now, Henry said Calgary's emergency reception centre, located at the Grandstand Building at Stampede Park, is open and Calgary's municipal emergency plan is active.

"We know this is a difficult time for the province and thousands of people are evacuated from their homes across the province. In Calgary, we have always been a great partner and we are here to help on the provincial landscape," Henry said, adding this is a very different scenario than what Calgary is used to seeing.

"This is not in our jurisdiction. So what's important with that is we cannot and will not self-deploy to communities. We have to wait for the order to move from our provincial counterparts or from other jurisdictions."

That doesn't mean that Calgary isn't doing what it can to help those in need, Henry said.

"The City of Calgary has opened a reception centre for any evacuees from across the province to access accommodations and other supports."

However, the personnel and supports being used for those individuals is not negatively impacting Calgary's ability to respond to any crisis that might occur within the city's jurisdiction, she said.

"Those who have been evacuated as a result of the Alberta wildfires can come down to Stampede Park. Accommodations will be provided through hotels in Calgary or through general lodging at Stampede Park."

In the meantime, Calgary has already sent 13 of its Canada Task Force 2 members to the Parkland County and the High Level areas to assist with firefighting efforts.

Henry says the two teams are "serving in various roles" in both areas.

"Canada Task Force 2 is an all-hazards disaster response team. It's Alberta's disaster response team and federally a heavy urban search-and-rescue team. It's made up of 165 volunteers from around the province that are able to leave their base job and come and support when the province or country is in need of them," Henry said.

She says equipment has also been sent from Calgary to help in the affected areas.

"Our reception centre trailers, which include cots and any other equipment required to open a reception centre. We've also offered our lodging trailers, which very similarly help take care of evacuees."

Henry says anyone who seeks to offer assistance to those affected should consult the province's website.

"Please do not bring any donations to the reception centre in Calgary. We are not set up to take these donations and we do not have the capability to get them to those that are in need."

According to the province's dashboard, there are 105 active wildfires in Alberta and 29 of those are listed as out of control. All of Alberta's wildfires are either west or north of Red Deer.

Twenty-seven of the active wildfires were caused by people, 10 were caused by lightning and 80 are under investigation.