A Jasper family who lost their house in a wildfire are thanking strangers for their generosity.
On July 22, a wildfire destroyed 358 structures, which makes up a third of the town. One of the homes destroyed belonged to Brooke Ereth and her family.
"The devastating reality of displacement has brought more than just the loss of our home. It has upended routines, leaving our family missing our small town, nature-infused lifestyle, which now feels out of reach," says Brooke.
A close friend of Ereth’s created a fundraiser for the family that has raised more than $11,700 for the family.
“The funds will be used directly for essential needs, such as temporary housing, food, clothing, and paying bills as well as starting the process of rebuilding,” says Antonina Padolsky.
A few days after the fire, the family relocated to Hinton, where they are setting up their new home as they await for the rebuild in Jasper.
"The coming weeks and months are still unknown,” wrote Ereth. "But we feel less scared knowing we have so much support far and wide.”
The family is now navigating insurance.
"Our home was insured, and we had guaranteed replacement cost of dwelling in the policy. We thought we'd be able to rebuild without financial strain, but that does not seem to be the case," she says.
"We are slowly discovering, the reality of dealing with our insurance is far from straightforward. Our family now has a battle to fight for the coverage we deserve."
She thanked everyone who donated and sent the family well wishes.
"We are focusing on the positives; we are together, we are healthy and we are safe,” she says. "We will not forget the amount of love from everyone, even those who we have never met.”
A spokesperson with the Municipality of Jasper announced that 755 of the town’s structures, including all critical infrastructure, were protected and saved.
"The road ahead is long, and with every passing day, we move one step closer to healing. Jasper’s spirit is unshakable,” says the spokesperson. "We honour the resilience of our community and the tireless efforts of those, from here and away, who have worked to protect and restore it."
The wildfire is classified as being held. The evacuation alert, meanwhile, has been lifted from the townsite.
