Wildfires engulf the southeastern area of Slave Lake on May 15, leaving 40 per cent of the town in ruins. (Photo courtesy of CTV Edmonton)
Royal LePage Progressive Realty in Slave Lake, Alta. held one of the most successful Royal LePage National Garage Sale for Shelter events in the country on May 14. Little did they know that their community would be profoundly affected the next day by massive wildfires, forcing an evacuation of its 7,000 residents and ultimately destroying about 40 per cent of the town.
During the afternoon of the 14th, word of the nearby wildfires began to reach Garage Sale for Shelter organizers and volunteers. High winds were the primary concern, contributing to the speed at which the fires could encroach on the Town of Slave Lake.
By evening, some areas surrounding the town received evacuation orders. By Sunday morning, the evacuation orders continued and by evening a full evacuation of the town was ordered.
“The smoke was so thick, we couldn’t see across the street,” says Royal LePage Progressive Realty broker Julie Brandle. “Power was lost and the local radio station was burning so there was very little communication within the community. It was quite tense.”
The aftermath of the fires left 432 people without homes in Slave Lake and an additional 70 people lost their homes in the surrounding areas. Three staff members from Royal LePage Progressive Realty lost their homes completely or were unable to return due to severe damage.
The spirit of the Garage Sale for Shelter continued at the curling rink, where the sale had taken place. The original plan was to remove items early the next week. Instead, Brandle contacted the Red Cross and suggested that further donations could be made to assist those affected by the fires, using the curling rink as a drop-off centre for the entire community.
As a result, not only did the original donations to the Garage Sale benefit woman and children in a local shelter – the remaining items were donated to help those in need following the crisis. Royal LePage Progressive Realty raised $6,300 during the sale.
