Fire erupts at Canada’s outdoor Ukrainian heritage museum

A fire caused damage to the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village in Alberta, near the city of Edmonton, CBC News reports.

“The fire has spread to structures in the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village,” the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Alberta confirmed.

Nearby residents of the museum were evacuated as the fire spread from a field. The cause of the grass fire is still unknown.

At least four buildings were affected by the blaze, including the visitor center. Fortunately, none of the historic structures were destroyed. Officials are still assessing the full extent of the damage.

“We worked really hard on preserving that history, those details, those artifacts,” said Orysia Boychuk, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Alberta Provincial Council. “Knowing that within minutes, hours, it could all disappear is very scary for us.”

The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village is an outdoor museum that showcases how the first Ukrainian immigrants lived in Alberta. It features authentic buildings and exhibits reflecting Ukrainian life in Canada from 1892 to 1930 when the first immigrants arrived.

“This village means more than just the buildings. It’s preservation of our culture and our identity as Ukrainians,” said Carol Slukynski, co-founder of the Hosting Ukrainians in Fort Saskatchewan community.

Alberta Arts, Culture and Status of Women Minister Tanya Fir and Fort-Saskatchewan-Vegreville MLA Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk, who is also the parliamentary secretary for settlement services and Ukrainian evacuees, released a joint statement calling the fire “a profound loss.”

They said that the affected buildings housed exhibits and “many irreplaceable artifacts” that told the story of Ukrainians in Alberta.

Cover: Fort Saskatchewan RCMP