According to the government of Canada, there have been 2,405 wildfires thus far in 2019. Nearly every province is fighting the flames.

In Alberta, Pastor David Guzman, the Compassion Ministries Director at the Alberta Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, has been actively monitoring the response to the High Level fire (also known as the Chuckegg Creek Fire) and preparing teams of volunteers to deploy whenever the notice is given.

Pastor Guzman has been working with Alain Normand, the Senior Manager at ADRA Canada for National Emergencies, to provide training in emergency response. The High Level fire has strengthened Pastor Guzman’s resolve to train a network of volunteers throughout the entire province who are ready to respond to any emergency in a timely and effective manner.

In northwestern Ontario, wildfires have forced communities to evacuate to locations further south. ADRA and the Ontario Conference of Seventh-day Adventists partnered to send volunteers to Sioux Lookout and Thunder Bay to support the evacuees as they waited for the word that it was safe to return home.

From transportation assistance, to counseling, to child and youth activities, the volunteers worked around the clock to ensure that the evacuees’ needs were met in a kind and respectful way.

If you would like to be able to respond to emergencies in your community, or if you would like your church to be prepared and involved in emergency response, please click here to learn more and to request training.