Largest wild fire in For McMurray Alberta Canada

[Greg Dent]

Something like 8 billion in damage and multiple cities have been burned out. Just incredible.

[Friends just call me Ross]

The Upper Peninsula is supposed to be getting the smoke haze from this fire tomorrow.  I've heard the smoke haze has already reached as far south as Florida, but the winds have been keeping it away from us, til now.

These photos are from May 4th...

[hatcheckgirl]

 

The wildfires glow underneath The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, near Fort McMurray, Alberta - May , 2016.

[Aelon]

Hello everyone, our family is one of the brothers who lost our house. 

 

We had our sunday meeting this morning (10.30 local time) with the Fort McMurray brothers (English + Tagalog Cong combined) held in NW Edmonton kingdom Hall. Lots of hugging going on and crying.

 

First song was really touching. The talk was delivred by the English CO. Talk was fantastic, very timely. This is the highlight of the meeting today because everyone in that room are crying, it's hard to sing that song. 

 

I will answer questions later. 

[Miss Mouse]

Our hearts go out to you Br we have been glued to the reports.... how horrific escaping with the flames right beside you.  Please be assured out thoughts and prayers are with you all.  We often say a calm sea doesn't make a good sailor .... this storm your weathering will bring you closer to Jehovah  more than you ever imagined.   Sending our love to you and your family. Glad your all safe.  

 

[hatcheckgirl]

Dear Bro Aelon,

 

So sorry to hear you have lost your home.  We knew our brothers and sisters would be affected as this huge disaster hits so many you could not really hope to be spared.  Please be assured we are always praying for you all , and know that all over the world your family in the truth are sending their love and support.

You will recover, you will be stronger than before! Jehovah will comfort you as he always does. Pls pass on our love!

[Áine]

This is so sad. ..I'm amazed that so far no one has lost their lives.  I think it must be hard to imagine the true extent of the disaster unless your there 

[Tia]

Dear Brother,

 

Words escape me at present - but my heartfelt prayers do not...I echo the sentiments above.

[hatcheckgirl]

Further to that story I posted on pets being left behind....

 

Emergency workers in Alberta are joining a grassroots effort to rescue pets trapped in homes after a massive wildfire forced their owners to leave without them.  Kevin Wonitowy, a locksmith for 20 years, said he entered the town of Fort McMurray on Saturday to pick the locks of homes with pets, after a request from the local emergency management team.

 

And the airlines are co-operating too by letting the pets go with their owners on board planes, which is nice to hear.

 

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-08/animals-rescued-from-candian-wildfire-region/7394106

[Old]

Google Crisis Map of FT McMurray shows the burned out neighborhoods. It is slow to load.

https://www.google.org/crisismap/2016-fort-mcmurray-fire

You can find the Kingdom Hall with a little effort.

The worst damage is highlighted by a red line around the damage areas. Look at the second outlined area up from the bottom. It is trapezoid in shape.

Mouse down for a close up. From the highest corner of this trapezoid look directly to the right, cross HWY 63 over to Gregoire DRV. Scroll to full magnification and the KH is Labeled   "Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses."

The burned out MacDonalds shows up as a white object on the opposite side of Gregoire DRV about a block to the north.

 

 

[Tia]

 

http://wildfiretoday.com/2016/05/07/smoke-from-alberta-fires-affects-the-u-s-may-7-2016/

Smoke from Alberta fires affects the U.S., May 7, 2016

 

The update more current link May 8

http://wildfiretoday.com/tag/smoke/

 

 

 

[Old]

In reference to ID:35

I see that when you look at the whole area the red outlined area in my instruction would be the third one up from the bottom. I missed the red outline east and south of the airport

[Sheep]

14 hours ago, jgsfrelancer said:

Hello everyone, our family is one of the brothers who lost our house. 

 

We had our sunday meeting this morning (10.30 local time) with the Fort McMurray brothers (English + Tagalog Cong combined) held in NW Edmonton kingdom Hall. Lots of hugging going on and crying.

 

. . .

 

Greetings Aelon,

 

If I'm not mistaken, weren't you in Montreal before? That's where I am. I could have said that if you hadn't moved out there no misfortune would have come your way. But of course, a catastrophe of some sort or another could just as easily have hit here in Montreal! We never know what kind of tragedy is around the corner from us, no matter where we live. In these last days, it has to be like that. It could very well have been any one of us! For that reason, our hearts indeed go out to you in Alberta!

 

I always thought that your avatar makes it look like you're Filipino. But then seeing your post about the English + Tagalog congregations combined makes me think that even more. And then when I saw one of your posts here, it confirms it. (It also tells me you are Cebuano.) I know the Philippines is no stranger to tragedies of serious proportions, and you may have seen your fair share already. In that case I can certainly feel  the pain you are all experiencing now, aking mga kapatid. Mahal ko kayong lahat! (Yes, I know a few words of Tagalog.) If you settle in to Edmonton for any length of time, you'll get to know some of the Filipino brothers and sisters there.

 

Send me a PM.

[Miss Mouse]

Some haunting images how destructive fire can be.   

 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2016/may/07/alberta-wildfires-fort-mcmurray-damage-pictures

 

 

[Friends just call me Ross]

3 hours ago, CyreJay said:

 

http://wildfiretoday.com/2016/05/07/smoke-from-alberta-fires-affects-the-u-s-may-7-2016/

Smoke from Alberta fires affects the U.S., May 7, 2016

 

The update more current link May 8

http://wildfiretoday.com/tag/smoke/

 

 

 

Was able to see the sunrise here, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, this morning and I couldn't figure out why it looked so strange.

Then I remembered that we were supposed to get the smoke haze from the Alberta fires this weekend.  

It is still really hazy out, but I can't smell the smoke in the air.   I did this morning, though.

I think our brothers and sisters in Alberta could use a group hug.

And lots and lots and lots of prayers.

[pnutts]

2 kids killed in evacuation car crash. One was daughter of a deputy fire chief, the other was her cousin.

http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/people-say-there-were-no-casualties-there-are-two-now/

[Greg Dent]

5 hours ago, Sheep said:

 

Greetings Aelon,

 

If I'm not mistaken, weren't you in Montreal before? That's where I am. I could have said that if you hadn't moved out there no misfortune would have come your way. But of course, a catastrophe of some sort or another could just as easily have hit here in Montreal! We never know what kind of tragedy is around the corner from us, no matter where we live. In these last days, it has to be like that. It could very well have been any one of us! For that reason, our hearts indeed go out to you in Alberta!

 

I always thought that your avatar makes it look like you're Filipino. But then seeing your post about the English + Tagalog congregations combined makes me think that even more. And then when I saw one of your posts here, it confirms it. (It also tells me you are Cebuano.) I know the Philippines is no stranger to tragedies of serious proportions, and you may have seen your fair share already. In that case I can certainly feel  the pain you are all experiencing now, aking mga kapatid. Mahal ko kayong lahat! (Yes, I know a few words of Tagalog.) If you settle in to Edmonton for any length of time, you'll get to know some of the Filipino brothers and sisters there.

 

Send me a PM.

Why say things like that? It sounds so mean. He lost everything. Unforeseen things befall us all with out us knowing they will. This post is so mean. I dont understand why you would do this.

[cricket246]

Perhaps he was trying to lighten the mood with a little humour and light teasing?...Things are pretty tense among the majority of mankind, so many have learned that  little joking helps soften the stress....It could also have been what I like to refer to an inside joke between two people, perhaps?

Edited May 9, 2016 by cricket246

[Greg Dent]

There is a time and place for it yes but so soon after all this happened and the poor brother just got online to post it and someone posts that? Come on guys lets be more sensitive toward friends that are suffering.

[Miss Mouse]

I read and re-read just don't see it as mean .....more like we're all in this together brother  ( which we are) we may not be effected directly but we are effected when parts of are family are hurting were hurting right along with them.  Br. Sheep was just a little excited in realizing his brother had a Phillipino connection I think Greg  ....  

A letter was read today that ALL the brothers have been accounted for and all have  and ALL have accomidations  with other brothers  or family members. Some have lost everything ....etc. If you didn't have it read  today it will likely be read mid week meeting. 

 

A personal note from CO's wife : the brothers spirit is good , although they are in shock! A disaster committee has been formed of course . A special meeting for them all will be held tomorrow . Ft Mac had a disaster preparedness meeting last week the Br were prepared -full tanks of gas ( as we have already heard) 

To go bags packed,. Everything happened so fast few personal effects were taken. A relief centre with lots of clothes had been organized for the brothers . 

 

We truly have a brotherhood that warms the heart . All to credit to Jehovah for organizing his people so well. 

[ReadYourBible]

This is so strange because Aelon is one of the ones I was worried about up there.  I knew that he had been in Montreal and in Ft. McMurray.  I can confirm what Lance says regarding 5 homes being lost (our letter was read here this morning), additionally can confirm Tagalog and Spanish groups also suffered property loss and that their meeting was held in NW Edmonton ;) I actually used to attend that hall.  It's a beautiful split hall, where there used to be French, English, Tagalog and Tigrinyan language groups.  Our congregation lines were redrawn and now we've been shuffled out of it.  

 

Aelon, words of advice for your family, Premier Notley is giving out a disbursement of $1250 per adult, and then $500 for each dependent.  This is something your family should be aware of, if you're not already.  Also, I'm in Edmonton, if you need anything and I mean absolutely anything, send me a private message and I will do what I can to help.  I'm also putting my name on the DC-50 (I hope that's the right form that was mentioned, just going to ask the brother for it via email after I'm done this) as I want to help out with the clean up and to do what I can on all of our brothers behalf.   

 

I would also encourage you to get your insurance paperwork sorted out quickly, if you can contact them now, I know you're shell shocked, but in order to receive disaster recovery funding the insurance payouts must be received and to be frank, there are people who suffered the 2013 flood who are still battling with their insurance companies.   Your insurance company will likely do this, but when you clean up, take pictures of everything, whatever is to thrown out, take photos of it.  Then once that is all settled out, there may be further provision from the Disaster Recovery Program.  There are provisions within the residential disaster recovery file portfolio that allow people to claim for appliances etc., be prepared to provide receipts.  In some cases provision for an entire house rebuild can be granted.  There are some rules and guidelines around this though, and they include that one must use whatever money they've received to rebuild within the community.  Most of us witnesses live extremely frugally, and I know that our brothers will help us rebuild, but where there is funding, our brothers should be taking advantage of this, as it shares the burden among many.  

 

The DRP which is coming is being sought by the Provincial Government, and it allows the provincial government to begin processing applications toward losses.  Whether those losses be residential, agricultural, small businesses ( generally income is between 6K and 10K all the way up to 2M, with a restricted amount of employees to 20 full time equivalents), landlords and tenants can also claim losses after their insurance settles out.  

 

It is a tedious process, but for once the government isn't trying to claw back pennies, but rather trying to assist people in having back their bare minimum.  It doesn't replace insurance coverage.  If you had/have no coverage there may still be provision.  

 

If fire insurance were reasonably available and readily obtainable, then it's possible a 50% deduction would be applied because each of us should be carrying insurance.  That may change though, so don't quote me on that. 

 

Please know that in our congregation today we prayed on each of your behalf, and we have faith that like with so many other areas of devastation, Jehovah's people will band together and ensure that our brothers and sisters are well cared for.   My thoughts and my prayers continue to be with you and yours.  

 

We know that each of you haven't been okay, but we want you to know, with Jehovah it will be okay.  Please know I extend my love to you and yours.

Edited May 9, 2016 by cerebral ecstasy
More stuff to add

[Tortuga]

9 minutes ago, cerebral ecstasy said:

Please know that in our congregation today we prayed on each of your behalf, and we have faith that like with so many other areas of devastation, Jehovah's people will band together and ensure that our brothers and sisters are well cared for.   My thoughts and my prayers continue to be with you and yours.  

...amen....

[Tortuga]

1 hour ago, Greg Dent said:

Why say things like that? It sounds so mean. He lost everything. Unforeseen things befall us all with out us knowing they will. This post is so mean. I dont understand why you would do this.

I didn't see anything mean...

He acknowledged that bad things could happen anywhere, anytime to anyone, it was just unfortunate the brother had moved to an area that was affected...

 

I'm sorry if this post sidetracks this thread any more than it already is. This is a serious thread and I hope it stays strictly on topic...

Edited May 9, 2016 by Tortuga
furthermore....

[Miss Mouse]

Excellent Sharon so helpful and informative.  

[Tia]

Are there any updates on the brothers and families in those areas?