About a third of the structures, including the local Home Building Centre, in the Alberta mountain town of Jasper were destroyed in a wildfire starting last week that has forced the evacuation of 25,000 people. (Photo of fire entering the town courtesy of Jasper National Park.)
Ross Derksen, the dealer-owner, is currently safe with his family in Salmon Arm, B.C., and the staff of the building supply has been similarly evacuated. “We anticipated that the fire was coming,” Derksen said. “So when we learned about the store burning down, our top priority was the wellbeing of our staff.”
“Now, our main focus is to be a part of the rebuilding solution,” Derksen said. “We aim to get Jasper Home Building Centre restored and operational as soon as possible. While we don’t have an official timeline yet, we’re ready to get to work as soon as we receive notice that it’s safe to return to town. The residents of Jasper will need local supplies more than ever, so the goal is to rebuild the store quickly to ensure the community can access the tools they need without having to travel.”
“A huge thank you to our community members, fellow dealers from the Home Hardware network, and supporters from across Canada who have reached out or offered words of encouragement,” Derksen said.
Home Hardware head office has been directing people to the following Red Cross link for donations. The governments of Canada and Alberta will match the donations.
