Samaritan’s Purse is a humanitarian aid group that is assisting the residents of Denare Beach, Saskatchewan, in recovering family possessions and valuables lost to wildfires.

Last month, the Wolf Fire destroyed 218 homes in a northern village of Saskatchewan, forcing hundreds of people to escape. When residents returned three weeks later, they found their community in ruins, with houses burned, ashes everywhere, and lost memories.

Tammy Suitor from Samaritan’s Purse said it was hard to reach people at first because phones and power lines were down. But once they made contact, the community quickly asked for help. Samaritan’s Purse sent a team of 35 volunteers, who travelled two days from Alberta to Denare Beach to help with recovery efforts. The volunteers set up camp in a field using large tents, RVs, generators, a kitchen, and a two-level trailer. The group brought all of their equipment with them, including safety gear, chainsaws, shovels, and pumps.

Since arriving, the team has received about 80 requests to help search through the ashes of burned homes. Homeowners walk with the volunteers to explain what they’re looking for, and the team carefully sifts through the debris using shovels and sifters. They’ve been asked to find everything from wedding rings to urns. The most common items sifters are asked to search for are diamond rings and wedding bands, among other items that may not hold much value but carry stories and memories etched in them.

Source: Aliyah Marko-Omene, CBC