Wildfire changed national image of Fort McMurray, mayor says

Strong. Resilient. Always. When I used those words to describe my community in my first column in this space back in February 2016, I never imagined that they were about to take on a whole new level of meaning.

In the intervening months, much has changed in my community and yet the residents of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo continue to be the same incredible people who inspire me with their remarkable strength, grace under pressure, and can-do attitudes.

This is Treaty 8 territory and our First Nations partners have lived in this region thousands of years. They not only survived the harsh land and challenges of northern living, they adapted and innovated.

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So, too, did the early explorers and traders who arrived here. To this day, people are drawn to this region from all over the world, fuelled by a desire to make a better life for themselves and their families and they do; they thrive.

This region is not for the faint of heart. It attracts people of strong stock with a passion and drive for a better life. These are people who know the value of perseverance and aren't afraid of hard times.

They intrinsically know how to weather the storm. Indeed, that's what we were doing prior to the wildfire as we adjusted to the end of the oil boom cycle.

Our community is known as the heart of the oil sands.

Prior to May 2016, this meant a near-constant struggle of trying to break the stereotypes and misconceptions outsiders had of our region. We were little known to most Canadians.

Instead, we were perceived as a caricature based on extreme views about the environmental impact of the oil sands and the big problems stemming from big paycheques and big-time population growth.

But when images began surfacing of roughly 88,000 residents fleeing the inferno on the one road that connects us to the rest of the province that started to change.

'We were humanized'

Suddenly, we were humanized. The rest of Canada began to see us as regular hardworking folk, with families and friends, jobs and mortgages. As we fanned out across the country, we had an incredible chance to get acquainted with Canada.

Then another big shift happened: the community that the United Way of Canada has ranked as Canada's most giving community per capita for close to a decade, had that generosity returned to us tenfold. Complete strangers stepped up, giving what they could: gas for vehicles, water, clothing, shelter, financial support and so much more.

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The response to our desperate need was overwhelming. Corporations, churches, communities and individuals all chipped in and together contributed $319 million to our cause. In fact, more than one million Canadians donated $185 million to the Canadian Red Cross' Alberta Fires Appeal, before matching funding from Ottawa and the province.

Donations flowed to residents quickly

If you had any concerns, let me tell you: that financial support started flowing to us very quickly. The Red Cross began distributing funds on May 11 and, after just one day, $30 million was distributed to 64,000 people.

I want you to know that your support had a direct, personal impact on tens of thousands of individuals, families, and businesses.

Indeed, in the first six months following the exodus from our homes, the Red Cross spent $178 million to assist the people of our community, covering everything from emergency shelter, food and clothing, to clean-up kits when we finally made it back home. Quite literally, in some shape or form, our entire community received that vital help.

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We love you for all you did for us. Out of the most dire circumstances came a gratitude that filled our hearts and lifted our spirits in the challenging days of evacuation. I have never felt stronger pride for this country than in the hours, days and months following May 3, 2016.

Future different, but foundation strong

Perseverance. Gratitude. Canadian pride. While we can't ignore the events of the last year nor the economic challenges that we presently face we know we have the character to stay the course and overcome even the most difficult times. The future may look different, but the foundation is still strong.

Perhaps most importantly, this time around we have the support of an entire country behind us.

The real difference now is Canadians know us and we know Canada has our backs. Thank you all!

Melissa Blake is mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.

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