Manitoban invites wildfire-displaced Fort McMurray residents into her home

A Manitoba woman is offering to host displaced Fort McMurray residents in her home as they travel across Canada en route to more stable accommodations.

The Alberta wildfire continues to spread across the northeast of that province and has forced more than 80,000 people from Fort McMurray and the surrounding area. Some of those people have found temporary housing within Alberta, while others are fanning out across the country to stay with friends or family in other provinces.

The Canadian Angel Network (CAN) has sprung up in cities from the coast to coast in order to help travellers from the fire-stricken province find a place to stay as they continue on their journey. 

Sophie Stogrin is part of the Manitoba chapter of CAN and is letting families affected by the fire stay with her in Winnipeg Beach.

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"There might be little in your life but other people have less, so if you can give it why not," Stogrin said. "They are going through such trauma, so I was just interested in it of course."

Stogrin happens to have four empty bedrooms in her home, which worked out well Friday night for the family of six, including four kids, en route for Halifax that stayed with her.

"I was thinking, 'No hotel is going to be good enough to accommodate.' So I said, 'I can do this,' and there wasn't any hesitation — I just did it," Stogrin said, adding a number of people in Winnipeg Beach also donated water, clothing and games for the kids in the family, she added.

"[The mother] was excited, she was glad people were helping her."

Stogrin is trying to get more people involved in the network to help the family find a place to stay at every stop along their way to the East Coast.

More information about CAN is available on Facebook.