#OperationReLeaf Fort McMurray is a multi-year effort to help reclaim the loss of trees and urban canopy after the devastating wildfires that struck the region in 2016.
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Operation ReLeaf Programs →
In May 2016, fire swept through the town of Fort McMurray. The flames jumped barriers and highways. 1.4 million acres were consumed in a matter of days.
“We’re dedicated to returning this community to its former beauty. We deeply sympathize with residents who lost their homes and have had their lives so disrupted by the fire. It is my sincere hope that this initiative will help to bring back a sense of normalcy to the community”
– Michael Rosen, President of Tree Canada
“We are deeply grateful to Tree Canada and all of its partners for this very generous donation. This support will undoubtedly lift the spirits of the entire community and help us restore so much of the natural beauty that was impacted by the wildfire.”
– Melissa Blake, Mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
Tree Canada’s “Operation ReLeaf – Fort McMurray” program will begin planting trees in publically-owned natural, forested areas to facilitate forest regrowth according to Fire Smart standards. Discussions are also underway to replace trees lost in adjacent First Nation communities. The restoration project will continue at least into 2018, and possibly into 2019 with a focus on residential trees and street trees scheduled to be planted. A planned 2018 project will aim to restore the tree canopy in Beacon Hill, one of the neighborhoods hardest hit by the blaze that consumed an area approximately the size of the province of P.E.I..
In total, more than 70,000 trees will be planted this year alone.
As part of Operation ReLeaf – Fort McMurray, Tree Canada has created a community grant program to support the re-greening of the community.
The grants will be available to individuals, Indigenous communities and community groups throughout the region who are looking to purchase trees to plant on private property in areas affected by the 2016 Horse River Wildfire. The grants will also apply to community groups wishing to purchase trees to give away to owners of properties affected by the wildfire. This includes properties damaged in the wildfire and properties adjacent to firebreak areas or areas where hazardous tree removal has occurred. Residents interested in planting fire resistant trees as they make FireSmart changes around their home will also qualify for the grants. Grants of a maximum of $3 000 per resident or a maximum of $10 000 per community organization will be approved on a first come, first served basis, provided the application meets the requirements of the program.
