It was nicknamed “The Beast”—the massive wildfire that ripped through Fort McMurray, Alberta, in May 2016. It forced the entire city of almost 90,000 people to evacuate and spread across approximately 590,000 hectares—an area larger than Prince Edward Island. 

For this episode, we’re marking the 10-year anniversary of the fire by talking to officers and Salvationists who were there in Fort McMurray when it happened; people who experienced the evacuation and the pain of loss firsthand; people who were part of the Army’s emergency disaster services response, both during the fire and long after it ended. How did they experience that fire, as individuals and as a church? What has been the key to healing after this devastating event, and what is the legacy of the fire today?

This episode features:

• Verna Thomas-Winsor, a member of the Salvation Army church in Fort McMurray, who lost her home and more;
• Major Steve Hibbs, corps officer in Fort McMurray in 2016, now retired and still living there;
• Majors Bond and Marina Jennings, assistant corps officers in 2016; and
• Captain Ian Scott, who led the Salvation Army EDS team during re-entry following the evacuation.

Listen here:

For more episodes of the Salvationist podcast, visit salvationist.ca/podcast. The transcript for this episode is available here for the deaf and hard of hearing. If you would like to get the news delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for our weekly email newsletter at salvationist.ca/newsletter.