Tens of thousands of dollars raised for Squamish couple who ‘lost everything’ in wildfire

SQUAMISH (NEWS 1130) – Tens of thousands of dollars have been raised to help a Squamish couple who lost virtually everything in the Magee Road Fire, which started earlier this week.

Andrew Boyd and Amanda Morris’ home was destroyed by flames, according to a GoFundMe set up to help the pair out.

“The fire is believed to have started at a farm down the road but quickly traveled towards their home,” the fundraising page reads. “At the time of writing, the fire in the Squamish Valley is still burning out of control and they have not been able to return yet to asses the damage. However, a photo taken by a neighbour was sent to them showing that their home is completely gone.”

The online campaign was only launched on Thursday, but has since raised more than $36,000 of the $50,000 target — in 18 hours.

According to the fundraiser, the couple was able to save their dog, Sable. However, another pet — a cat named Luna — is believed to have died in the fire.

“This is beyond devastating, especially at a time such as this,” the GoFundMe page reads.

The wildfire was sparked on Wednesday, and is believed to be human-caused. As of Thursday morning, the fire was an estimated 100 hectares in size, but BC Wildfire crews were able to make some progress throughout the day thanks to calmer weather, the service said.

A wildfire in the Squamish Valley area has forced the evacuation of the Cheekye Reserve and put Paradise Valley residents on alert. The fire comes amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has already put a strain on the province. (Courtesy Twitter/Squamish RCMP)

The fire has forced the District of Squamish to declare a local state of emergency, after flames started to threaten a number of homes, a campground, and some BC Hydro infrastructure in the region.

Giving back

Boyd and Morris are described as “beloved members” of the community, who have apparently “contributed substantially to this town for decades.”

Morris is the owner of Squamish Gymnastics, a small business which has also been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the GoFundMe page notes, as the virus continues to put a strain on local, national, and global economies. Boyd is a part of the climbing and mountain biking communities in the area, and has done much for those communities over the past decades.

“Amanda and Andrew are lucky to be part of such of an amazing community as we have here in Squamish, and we are even more lucky to have them with us. They both love this place dearly and it shows,” the campaign says, adding now’s the time to help them.

You can donate to the campaign here.

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