Toothbrushes, socks and underwear — these items may seem mundane, but for people fleeing wildfires, they can mean everything. 

The Edmonton Emergency Relief Services Society is collecting donations, such as new socks, new underwear, toiletries and baby items, for wildfire evacuees from northern Alberta.

“I’m thankful. You know, everyone needs something and it seems like the simplest things are the most important right now,” said Ken Alook, a counsellor from Big Stone Cree Nation who fled his home in Wabasca.

“To see that is you know, so heartwarming,” he said.

Alook is living at a motel in Edmonton after an evacuation order was issued Wednesday for the community located about 130 kilometres northeast of Slave Lake.

A number of wildfires — known as the McMillan wildfire complex — have engulfed more than 212,000 hectares southwest of Bigstone Cree Nation as of Saturday.

Shane Harnish is a board member of the society. He said evacuees can get two sets of new clothing, two sets of new underwear, shoes and basic toiletries from the donation centre. 

“We’re only looking for new donations at this time,” he said. 

“At this time, we can’t take used items because we just don’t have the resources to clean and turn them around for the evacuees,” said Harnish. 

Volunteers have been busy at their donation centre in downtown Edmonton, putting together hygiene kits for evacuees. As of Saturday afternoon, the society had run out of socks and underwear to give away. 

The society said they’ll keep collecting donations during the weekend and will keep following the wildfire situation up north to reassess. 

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