The Canadian Red Cross says financial donations are the best way to support those impacted by the Jasper wildire. Jasper NP/X

By Adrian St.Onge

Here’s how to support Jasper relief efforts

Jul 29, 2024 | 4:51 PM

With the largest fire in Jasper in over 100 years still raging, Albertans are looking for ways to help.

Most Albertans are eager to volunteer or donate clothes but Canadian Red Cross volunteer Guy LePage said that right now, financial support is what’s needed.

“People come up and say, ‘can I donate clothing?’ Well, when you donate clothing, you need a place where it’s collected and sorted and so on and we just don’t have the personnel or the locations to do that,” LePage said.

“By donating cash, we receive the funds and then we go out and purchase what’s needed to meet the needs of the people.”

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Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor said that the weather in the area has been cooler than average, but that the weather has neither helped nor hindered efforts to improve the situation.

“Warming up is probably the best forecast that we could give for the Jasper area, staying a little bit unsettled at times, but in general terms, winds will be primarily out of the south to southwest,” Proctor said.

“just scattered showers off and on kind of idea. Nothing that’s really going to exacerbate the wildfire situation in the short term, but nothing that’s really going to improve it either.”

LePage said that the Fort McMurray Fire raised over $300 million for relief and that in dire situations like the one in Jasper, Canadians band together to help those in need.

“Every time there’s a disaster, people open up their hearts and their wallets to donate that kind of money,” LePage said.

“I’m not surprised at all and it just makes me proud to be a Canadian.”

Hatters looking to donate can do so by visiting the Canada Red Cross website, calling Red Cross at 1-800-418-1111 or texting ABFIRES to 45678 to make a $10 donation.

All donations made to the Canada Red Cross will be matched by the federal and provincial governments.