It香蕉视频直播檚 been hard to find a hotel room in Hinton, Alta., lately.
Firefighters from across Canada and around the world have been calling the town of 10,000 home since late July after joining the fight against massive wildfires some 75 kilometres down the highway in Jasper National Park.
Also stationed in Hinton for the past few weeks have been Parks Canada, Red Cross and Alberta Emergency Management Agency personnel, as well as some of the 5,000 Jasper, Alta. residents ordered out on July 22.
Less than 48 hours after the evacuation order was issued, the fires reached the townsite and destroyed 358 buildings, or a third of the community香蕉视频直播檚 structures. That included some 800 housing units.
An estimated $283 million in property value was wiped out.
Hinton officials and community leaders say the town will continue to do all it can to support its municipal neighbour, despite dealing with their own issues as a result of the fires.
香蕉视频直播淲e all have colleagues and friends and family that live and work out of Jasper,香蕉视频直播� said Tyler Waugh, executive director of the Hinton Chamber of Commerce.
香蕉视频直播淎 lot of people didn香蕉视频直播檛 even know how to help, but they just got into action and tried to do something just to show support.香蕉视频直播�
Local restaurants have been preparing free meals for firefighters and evacuees, while community groups have been amassing donations to make sure those who lost everything have clothes and other basics.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e had more help and assistance for displaced people than we香蕉视频直播檝e actually had displaced people,香蕉视频直播� said Hinton香蕉视频直播檚 Mayor Nicholas Nissen.
香蕉视频直播淓veryone香蕉视频直播檚 telling me that Hinton香蕉视频直播檚 been great to work with, that the people of Hinton have been very welcoming, and that香蕉视频直播檚 the community that I moved into and that香蕉视频直播檚 the community I was attracted to originally.香蕉视频直播�
Both Nissen and Waugh said many businesses have been struggling from lost visitors due to the park closure.
香蕉视频直播淏usinesses have tried to do what they can 香蕉视频直播� but a lot of them have been doing this to their own detriment,香蕉视频直播� said Waugh, who also publishes and edits a weekly community newspaper called the Hinton Voice.
香蕉视频直播淲hat we香蕉视频直播檝e gone through pales in comparison. But at the same time, there香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of businesses in town that are hurting right now.香蕉视频直播�
The chamber is surveying businesses to get a clearer understanding of the fire香蕉视频直播檚 direct impacts, but he said it香蕉视频直播檚 possible some businesses have needed to lay off staff.
Not every business is in such dire straits.
The owner of the Hinton Home Hardware Building Centre said he香蕉视频直播檚 hired extra staff in preparation for the rebuild as he香蕉视频直播檚 expecting many Jasper residents will stop in for anything from cleaning supplies to new appliances now that they have been allowed to return home and start rebuilding.
香蕉视频直播淎ll of a sudden the needs that we generally supply the community changed,香蕉视频直播� said Marcel Preville, who has been running the hardware store since the fall of 2020.
Shortly after the fire hit town, Preville said he reached out to friends in Fort McMurray who went through its 2016 wildfire evacuation to get a better idea of what supplies he should keep in stock over the coming weeks and months.
He determined that fridges and freezers would be a priority.
香蕉视频直播淪o within three days, we had 150 fridges and freezers sitting in our store,香蕉视频直播� he said.
香蕉视频直播淲e need to go in hard and fast and we need to co-ordinate everything and we need to get it in there because people want to get back to normal and they want to live in their homes and they need food 香蕉视频直播� they香蕉视频直播檙e tired of eating out.香蕉视频直播�
Besides appliances, Preville said he香蕉视频直播檚 stocked up on air filters for furnaces and air conditioners as well as cleaning supplies that won香蕉视频直播檛 chemically react to the fire retardant used in Jasper. He also ordered extra duct tape.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 more prepared to be able to help the community next to our community than our community,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Considering the likelihood that not every Jasper resident will return and rebuild, like what was seen after the Fort McMurray fire, Nissen said he thinks Hinton is in a 香蕉视频直播渦nique香蕉视频直播� position to absorb a sudden population increase, whether it香蕉视频直播檚 temporary or permanent.
香蕉视频直播淚 think that we will absorb the folks that we need to fairly well,香蕉视频直播� said Nissen. 香蕉视频直播淲e even have plenty of land, we can get work camps and temporary housing set up as needed.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淗inton is going to be here, and we香蕉视频直播檙e going to continue to do everything we can to support our neighbours and help them get their paradise built back to paradise standards.香蕉视频直播�
Welcoming Jasper residents back to the national park on Friday morning was Hinton香蕉视频直播檚 fire chief Mac de Beaudrap.
Standing next to a Hinton fire truck on the side of Highway 16 that morning, through rain, clouds and sunshine, he waved to each and every group headed home.
Many honked, smiled, and waved right back.
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Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
