FORT MCMURRAY – Fleeing Syria a year ago, the Farawan family are raising money to help their new neighbors after the Fort McMurray fire, feeling their tragedy of being forced to fled their home for safety.

Fort McMurray is an urban service area located in northeast Alberta, in the middle of the Athabasca oil sands, surrounded by boreal forest. It has played a significant role in the development of the national petroleum industry.

In early May, a wildfire dubbed “the beast” tore through Fort McMurray, forcing the evacuation of 90,000 people. About 2,400 structures were destroyed. Thousands more were damaged.

After the disaster, Canadian Muslim rushed to help Fort McMurray.

Al Rashid Mosque has been collecting items and delivering them to various hosting centers and to the Metis settlement in the area.

In Toronto, Imams at Masjid Toronto, which hosts the largest gathering of Muslims in downtown Toronto with 6 prayer services at 2 mosques weekly, offered prayers and issued an appeal for donations to support the people affected by the wildfires.

The Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) also opened up its mosques in Cold Lake and Edmonton to host the fire evacuees.