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In the aftermath of the devastation caused in Denare Beach after the Wolf Fire, a Christian disaster relief organization is helping residents recover more than just belongings, they’re helping people reclaim memories.
The Wolf Fire pushed the community near Creighton out of their homes in early June and destroyed over 400 structures.
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After nearly three weeks under an evacuation order, Denare Beach began lifting its restrictions on June 22, allowing some residents to return. The Wolf Fire is one of 16 blazes in the province the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency said were still not contained on Saturday.
Since July 11, Samaritan’s Purse Canada has been sifting through ash and rubble to find what the flames didn’t destroy. Their goal is to help wildfire victims locate meaningful items like jewellery, heirlooms, medals and other personal treasures that may have survived the fire .
“We work with homeowners directly,” said Tammy Suitor, Canadian disaster relief manager with Samaritan’s Purse.
“They’ll point to a part of the house and tell us what they’re hoping to find, and we do everything we can to recover it.”
The work is emotional. In one case, volunteers handed a woman a small porcelain angel. At first she didn’t recognize it. But, after a closer look, she realized it was a childhood gift from her grandmother.
“She burst into tears,” Suitor said. “It wasn’t something she had asked us to look for, but it ended up being the most meaningful thing we could have found.”
Items found by Samaritan’s Purse volunteers at Denare Beach. (Samaritan’s Purse Canada/Submitted)
Another crew was about to wrap up a long day of sifting when, in one final shovel of debris, they uncovered a set of wedding bands, a five-year anniversary ring and a diamond pendant, the exact items the homeowners had been hoping to find.
“These aren’t just possessions,” Suitor explained. “It’s about helping people find closure. It’s part of the grieving and healing process.”
The operation is large-scale and self-sufficient. With no building to house their staff, the team built a mobile camp from the ground up.
Samaritan’s Purse’s camp at Denare Beach. (Samaritan’s Purse Canada/Submitted)
Volunteers sleep in large tents, eat on-site, and wear full safety gear as they work. A retired NASCAR trailer serves as their mobile headquarters and tool depot. They’ve also brought shower trailers, cookhouses and RVs to support around 30 to 40 workers on any given day.
To date, more than 50 work orders have been completed, with roughly 85 requests logged so far. The organization is also assisting Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation residents, who lost 24 homes in the fire.
Suitor says the team expects to stay in the area for a few more weeks, and volunteers are always welcome.
“This community has been through so much,” she said. “It’s an honour to walk alongside them during this difficult time.”
— with files from CKOM News
Samaritan’s Purse volunteers search for valuable at Denare Beach. (Samaritan’s Purse Canada/Submitted)
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