The wildfire recovery efforts in Wood Buffalo have been boosted by the fund raising of the Red Cross, and the close to $300 million raised by the organization can definitely make a difference in Fort McMurray and the surrounding Wood Buffalo area. According to Canadian Red Cross CEO Conrad Sauve “The sprint of the emergency is over and now we’re in the long marathon of recovery. For some, it may be weeks or months. For others, it will be years.” The Canadian Red Cross has spent close to $200 million so far in order to assist families and individuals impacted by the wildfire. Dozens of programs and organizations in the local community, including the Wood Buffalo Food Bank, will receive a total of $50 million of the funds raised. $30 million has been set aside by the organization to help small businesses who were harmed.

Another $12 million of the funds that the Red Cross raised towards the wildfire recovery effort will be put towards disaster preparedness. Fort McMurray Mayor Melissa Blake stated “I’ve been happy to support Red Cross initiatives around the world. Never did I imagine that the Red Cross would be supporting my world, our world, right here in Wood Buffalo. The outpouring of support that Canada gave us is what reassured us that one day we’d be home. No neighbourhood in my mind has the indication that they won’t be able to rebuild, but there are all these conditions that have to be met before they can. We’re really working hard to make it possible for every neighbourhood to be back.”