AN Irish Embassy
official has travelled to the Canadian province of
Alberta to assist people affected by the devastating
wildfire in the city of Fort McMurray.
A passport officer from the Irish Embassy in Ottawa
has set up a help-desk to run all this week at the
Irish Sport and Social Society in the Alberta
capital, Edmonton.
The city, located some five hours away from the
disaster zone, has taken the majority of the 88,000
evacuees ordered to leave their homes last week as
the 'apocalyptic' blaze destroyed everything in its
path. Fort McMurray's oil industry was a magnet for
Irish emigrants, including tradespeople, during the
recession. Cooler temperatures, light rain and a
change in wind direction are expected to help
exhausted firefighters get a better grip on the
sprawling fire this week. The following services and
help-lines have been set up to for displaced Irish
in Alberta: Irish Embassy and/or Honorary Consulate
of Ireland in Edmonton: +1 (780) 458-0810; Wildfire
Emergency Assistance Line: +1 (613) 293-6071 until
further notice; Irish passport officer, Siobhan
Doran, will operate a helpdesk at the Irish Sport
and Social Society, 12546 126 St NW., Edmonton (780)
543-2249 from May 9 - May 13, between 4pm and 8pm
daily. Irish Sport and Social Society president,
Martin Doyle, offering assistance at 587-337-8737. |
