Another church has burned in northern Alberta.
St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Lac La Biche was gutted by fire early in the morning of July 1. The call came in around 6:30 a.m. on Canada Day.
Lac La Biche RCMP said in a news release that “the church sustained significant damage inside and out.”
While police have not released the cause of the fire, they are asking anyone in the area to check their security cameras.
“Lac La Biche RCMP are asking anyone who resides in the 101 to 103 block of Churchill Drive to check their security footage to look for any suspicious activity during the early morning hours,” said the release.
According to the bishop for the Anglican Diocese of Athabasca, St. Andrews church has been around since 1932.
“It is a sadness in the sense that that is a cherished sacred place in the community, and it has been for many long years," said Rt. Rev. David Greenwood.
However, he pointed out there are also things to be thankful for.
“Gratitude that nobody appears to have been harmed,” he told The Epoch Times. “And gratitude that the first responders were able to come so quickly and extinguish it so that there is still some of the church standing.”
Greenwood said while the congregation was small, the church was open for services every Sunday. And members were also involved in charity work in the community.
“They’re quite active in the community, working with a group called Stone Soup [Stone Soup Food Centre], and other things in town,” he said.
At this point, it is not clear if the church can be rebuilt. An RCMP photo shows extensive damage to the interior, and Greenwood said the damage is currently being evaluated.
“We’re still where the evaluation is happening right now to see what is salvageable and what is not. So, gratitude for all those people that are involved with that.”
He said the possibility of the fire being arson is a concern, but if true, also a symptom of bigger problems.
“There’s a sadness if it was human-caused,” he said. “We don’t know that for sure … [but] whatever that reason may have been, I think that is a symptom of the illness and hurt in our wider society and that is something we all need to pray about and work with God to try and heal.”
If it was deliberately set, it will not be the first.
In May, St. Bernard Catholic Church in Grouard, Alberta, was gutted by fire, and two people were charged with arson.
And on May 19, a man set a fire at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Calgary. Police say the call came in around 2:30 in the morning. They said besides setting a fire, the man also attempted to force his way into the building. Two church staff members managed to close the back door and get to safety while the man continued to try to gain entry.
The fire was put out by the Calgary Fire Department.
A series of churches in Canada have been damaged or destroyed by arson in the last two years.
On May 27, 2021, the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation announced ground-penetrating radar had located possible burial sites of 215 children at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. So far, the possible sites have not been excavated.
Shortly after that, a number of churches were damaged or destroyed by arson across Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, and Ontario.
The Epoch Times found some cases remain officially open, while others have closed but could reopen if new evidence comes to light.
Greenwood said regardless of the cause of this latest fire, they are hoping for the best.
“Our prayers are with them … and for the community as a whole,” he said.
Lac La Biche is about 220 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.
