Samaritan’s Purse sends staff, convoy in response to wildfires in Shuswap, B.C.

Samaritan’s Purse is helping residents who were forced to flee for their lives from catastrophic wildfires that ravaged B.C.’s Shuswap region.

At the request of the region’s emergency operations center, the Christian disaster relief organization is sending staff and a convoy of disaster relief vehicles and equipment to clean up damaged properties and search for anything that survived the flames.

Almost 180 homes were damaged or destroyed by the wildfires. At one point, more than 10,000 residents were evacuated from Scotch Creek and the Little Shuswap First Nation.

The Samaritan’s Purse convoy, which left our Calgary headquarters today, includes one of our Disaster Relief Unit tractor trailers, which are specially equipped with safety and clean-up equipment, plus an office to coordinate volunteers and accept requests for help.

Homeowners needing help with their home or property can call 1-833-738-7743. Anyone who wants to volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse should visit SamaritansPurse.ca.

“The loss from forest fires across British Columbia has been staggering,” said Keith Waara, Samaritan’s Purse’s acting director of Canadian disaster relief. “The needs in the Shuswap region are immense, and we will do all we can to help residents start their long road to recovery.”

In addition to Shuswap, Samaritan’s Purse has a convoy of staff and vehicles in West Kelowna, where we are doing similar wildfire relief work for residents who lost everything to wildfires.