Locals fixing Fort Mac

Photo: Marisa Wilson

Restoration companies have descended upon Fort McMurray, cleaning houses to make them liveable following May's devastating wildfire.

“There's every restoration company in the world here,” said Marisa Wilson, the Kelowna general manager of Okanagan-based Total Restoration Services.

The firm has a team of 40 in Fort McMurray that has spent the last three weeks cleaning residences, and Wilson expects they'll be there for at least another three months.

She agreed it was a massive task.

“It's the volume. We have 200 houses that need to be cleaned and pressure washed, that have to have roof repairs.

“To add to (the aftermath of the fire) there has been big rain. So we've had flooding aside from the smoke and fire damage.”

The team works on four or five homes at a time, finishing about two houses per day, so residents can move back in and try to resume a normal life.

“We're working as quickly as possible, especially trying to get people back home who have health issues, who have kids,” said Wilson. “Everyone here is so kind and so grateful for everything that we do.”

The fire damage still scars the city.

“That is not being addressed yet,” said Wilson. “The houses that are burned are still there.

“Sections of the city are still blocked off completely with security stopping people from getting through.”