Slave Lake mayor offers hope to Fort McMurray evacuees

A burnt-out basement remains as a new house is being built beside it on Saturday May 12, 2012 in Slave Lake, Alta. (Jason Franson / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The mayor of an Alberta community ravaged by wildfires five years ago, is offering words of hope and encouragement to the people of Fort McMurray.

“I didn’t think we would ever get back to where we’re at now, but I’m so proud of our community and so proud of the people who worked hard to get us there,” Slave Lake Mayor Tyler Warman told CTV’s Canada AM on Friday.

When wildfire burned through Slave Lake in May, 2011, it forced the evacuation of the town’s 7,000 residents. Until more than 80,000 people were ordered out of Fort McMurray this week, the Slave Lake evacuation was the largest in the province’s history.

Roughly a third of Slave Lake was destroyed, leaving 732 people homeless.

“Our residents are feeling the scars,” says Warman, who was a volunteer firefighter in 2011. He also travelled to Fort McMurray Tuesday, to help battle the wildfires.

“There are lots of images going through your mind as we replay the events of 2011, which are very similar to what’s happening right now in Fort McMurray.”

Although the circumstances are dire now, Warman expects Fort McMurray will be able to recover. But it will take time.

Approximately 90 per cent of Slave Lake has now been rebuilt, and Warman credits Albertans.

“Alberta really came out strong, and says we’re here to help,” he said, noting, too, that the ”the provincial government really stepped up financially.”

Warman added that he was receiving offers of support from people right across the country.

“We even got envelopes from little girls who collected money at their birthday party in the Northwest Territories. You’re seeing that same kind of support now, and I can tell you Fort McMurray is going to need it.”

Warman is asking Canada to come together to support the 80,000 people of Fort McMurray, who are have been forced to leave their homes. “As Canadians, keep it up.”