The president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America, Dan Jackson, released a statement in response to the devastating wildfire in Fort McMurray that started May 1 and has displaced nearly 90,000 residents and destroyed half a million acres, or 229,000 hectares of land.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America continues praying for all the women, children, and men who have been forced to flee from their homes and seek refuge from the wildfires that devastated Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada.

We offer prayers of thanksgiving as it appears that no lives have been lost — and fire fighters were able to save at least 85 percent of the city of Fort McMurray. We are grateful that, thus far, the lives of the brave men and women battling the flames have been spared. 

We ask God to keep the first responders safe as they make strides to get the fire under control.
 
We pray for the nearly 90,000 who fled, many under harrowing conditions, from the deadly flames that threatened their homes. We pray for safe travel as displaced people prepare to return to their homes; and for many, courage as they begin rebuilding their lives. 

We pray for the churches and relief organizations, such as Adventist Community Services (ACS) and Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Canada. These workers have been there from the beginning, providing assistance and shelter for those who sought refuge.
 
For those of you have have been praying for all of those impacted by the tragedy, please keep praying.
 
For those of you who have supported the relief efforts of ACS and ADRA Canada, thank you!