Fanshawe to host forest fire evacuees
The City of London will be a host community for evacuees from the extreme forest fires in northwestern Ontario, and Fanshawe College will be providing residence for approximately 200 stage one evacuees.
According to Leanne Perreault, Manager of Corporate Communication for the College, Fanshawe is anticipating 170 people to arrive today from the Kenora region. The group will be comprised of young families and the elderly, for whom community centre accommodation would not be ideal.
London Mayor Joe Fontana formally declared a state of emergency yesterday for the purpose of receiving evacuees under the City's Emergency Plan and Emergency Social Services Plan.
“Our community is ready, able and more than willing to assist these families forced from their homes by the forest fires in northwestern Ontario,” he said. “We are a compassionate city and we need to take care of our neighbours, regardless of where they're from. We would like to thank the many partners who are coming together to make this happen. We're happy to do what we can to provide safety, support and comfort.”
Emergency Management Ontario, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Canadian Forces and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada are working closely with threatened First Nations communities and host communities to ensure those in danger are safely evacuated. More than 3,600 evacuees have been dispersed across the province.
The MNR has called this the worst situation in a decade, with 101 active fires in the northwestern region ravaging nearly 400,000 hectares of land.
According to Leanne Perreault, Manager of Corporate Communication for the College, Fanshawe is anticipating 170 people to arrive today from the Kenora region. The group will be comprised of young families and the elderly, for whom community centre accommodation would not be ideal.
London Mayor Joe Fontana formally declared a state of emergency yesterday for the purpose of receiving evacuees under the City's Emergency Plan and Emergency Social Services Plan.
“Our community is ready, able and more than willing to assist these families forced from their homes by the forest fires in northwestern Ontario,” he said. “We are a compassionate city and we need to take care of our neighbours, regardless of where they're from. We would like to thank the many partners who are coming together to make this happen. We're happy to do what we can to provide safety, support and comfort.”
Emergency Management Ontario, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Canadian Forces and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada are working closely with threatened First Nations communities and host communities to ensure those in danger are safely evacuated. More than 3,600 evacuees have been dispersed across the province.
The MNR has called this the worst situation in a decade, with 101 active fires in the northwestern region ravaging nearly 400,000 hectares of land.
