COMMUNITY
AMA Centennial:
Standing Together as Albertans
How a community rallied to support Fort McMurray during the 2016 wildfires.
By Allison Bench
AMA staff ready to celebrate at the welcome back parade. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF AMA
AS THE ALBERTA MOTOR ASSOCIATION approaches its 100th anniversary, we’re reflecting on the moments that defined us as an organization — and as a province. Few were more powerful than the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire. Known as “The Beast,” the fire tore through over 500,000 hectares, forcing 88,000 people to flee their homes. It remains the costliest natural disaster in Canadian history, amounting to $6B in total damages and loss. But what we remember most isn’t just the devastation — it’s how Albertans came together. “It happened so fast,” says Ted Koleff, VP of claims for AMA Insurance. “I had just joined AMA three months earlier. Suddenly, Fort McMurray was burning, and people needed us — immediately.” Among the first to call were members Steve Russell and Monica Thompson. “We were down at the river,” Thompson says. “And we could see the hill that our house was on, burning. So, I phoned AMA Insurance from the parking lot of the boat launch, and I very calmly asked to begin the claims process.” “When the young woman I was speaking with asked why — I said, my house is burning down right now.” For other residents, the evacuation itself was the most frightening moment. “It was very scary — we were told to leave that afternoon, the whole town all at once,” recalls AMA member Uzma Afroz. “My entire family lived there — my mother, brother and sister. On our way out there was fire, embers — and for the people of Fort McMurray, some left so quickly that they didn’t even have gas or water. But we all stood behind one another that day, and we still do.”
“I had just joined AMA three months earlier. Suddenly, Fort McMurray was burning, and people needed us — immediately.”
(From left) Thompson in 2016, visiting the remains of her Fort McMurray home; Thompson and Russell’s former home; the couple kept the spirit of their original log house when they designed their current home; AMA staff and volunteers prepare to hand out flowers at the Edmonton evacuation centre on Mother’s Day 2016. | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF AMA
With nearly the entire city displaced, thousands made their way to Edmonton, Lac La Biche and Calgary. AMA mobilized quickly: staff were on hand at evacuation centres alongside agencies such as the Red Cross, issuing on-the-spot emergency cheques and helping families with accommodations and essentials. “For AMA, it was all hands on deck,” says Norine Parker, director of claims for AMA Insurance. “Our travel counsellors helped with hotels. Registries helped replace lost documents. Every part of AMA stepped up.” Afroz remembers the long lines and chaos upon arriving in Edmonton, but also the generosity. “The people of Edmonton were really nice. Lots of companies and organizations were there to receive us. Everyone was willing to go above and beyond to help.” Amid the uncertainty at the time, the community came together to support each other in small acts of normalcy. “On Mother’s Day at the evac centre, our AMA volunteers handed out flowers to moms and teddy bears to kids,” Parker remembers. “Their reaction was a reminder that kindness matters, especially at the worst of times.” Members Thompson and Russell had long planned to retire on property they owned in Tawatinaw, where they relocated to an RV during the rebuild. Their new home, inspired by their beloved “log house on the hill” that burned down in the fire, became a symbol of resilience. “AMA made it easier,” Thompson says. “They smoothed the path so we could focus on rebuilding.” The Fort McMurray wildfire is one of many crises AMA has responded to: the 1987 Edmonton tornado, the 2011 Slave Lake wildfire, the 2013 Calgary flood and, more recently, the 2020 Fort Mac floods and 2024 Jasper wildfire. At AMA, it all comes back to the simple concept that we’re Albertans helping Albertans. “When disaster strikes, everyone at AMA asks the same question,” Koleff says. “Not just, ‘What’s my job?’ but ‘What more can I do?’ That’s who we are. That’s Alberta strong.” AMA
Welcoming Residents Back
When the town of Fort McMurray reopened after the wildfire, AMA was there to welcome residents back at its centre — as a place for services, but also as a space of support. Homebuilders were on-site at the centre, ready to meet with families who had lost everything, helping them choose layouts and start imagining their new homes. For Afroz, returning felt both daunting and hopeful. “When we came back, you could see how hard everyone was working — local and federal teams, organizations, neighbours — all busy day and night to help people settle in again,” she says. “It reminded me that Fort McMurray stands strong.” And when the town held a parade to celebrate the community’s return, AMA proudly joined in. Because, for the people of Fort McMurray, this wasn’t just about rebuilding structures, it was about feeling seen, supported — and things finally feeling a bit more like home.
The AMA float ready to welcome Fort Mac residents back home. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF AMA
(From top) Thompson in 2016, visiting the remains of her Fort McMurray home. Thompson and Russell’s former home. The couple kept the spirit of their original log house when they designed their current home. AMA staff and volunteers prepare to hand out flowers at the Edmonton evacuation centre on Mother’s Day 2016. | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF AMA