The director of the Mennonite Disaster Service in Canada says it will be months, perhaps even next year, before it can send teams of volunteers to Fort McMurray, Alberta to clean up and re-build following a devastating forest fire earlier this year. Ross Penner and several other MDS representatives toured the city last week. He says it was quite something to see the devastation first hand. He calls it a very sobering experience and says the city faces a long period of recovery. Penner says the challenge that must be tackled before MDS can respond is the removal of all the toxic waste that was left behind.

"When houses burn like this and burn with such heat, one of the results is that the ash is very toxic. It's been likened, in one article, to being about the same as oven cleaner. So they will have to set up a hazardous waste site, they will have to take all of that burned out material and move it to that site and that's an involved process that needs to be done by professional, skilled people."

Penner notes there may be one MDS project that can be started there this fall but even that timeline is doubtful.

"In part of our visit we were able to go to a small town outside of Fort McMurray, about half an hour away, and there we located two homes that look like good potential clients for us. We're wondering whether it could be possible that we find ourselves in there some time in the fall. But the reality is probably more like some time next year."

Penner says MDS is grateful for all the offers of help and donations of money for Fort McMurray relief efforts and asks people to be patient.

"While we are eager, the difficult part right now is the waiting for the time when we can go in and begin rebuilding."