Volunteers are recalling a frantic weekend effort to help drivers stranded for hours in northern Alberta as whiteout conditions made travel nearly impossible.

Andrew Laidlaw, part of a volunteer group that went out to assist those stuck, said the situation escalated quickly.

“At first, it didn’t look like it was going to be a long-term issue,” he told Global News. “But after a while, we kept seeing more people saying they were stranded.”

Laidlaw said his off-road team mobilized within hours, gathering supplies with the help of the community.

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“Within an hour and a half, we had over $2,500 raised,” he said, adding that volunteers loaded vehicles with fuel, food and water before heading out.

As of Sunday morning, Highway 63 toward Fort McMurray has reopened, though Highway 16 remains closed west of Jasper.

Drivers are advised to check Alberta’s 511 service for the latest traffic updates.

Laidlaw said driving conditions were severe, with icy roads, whiteout conditions and snowdrifts up to one metre high.

“What normally would have been less than an hour’s drive took several hours,” he said. “People were stuck, out of fuel and starting to get cold.”

Kaleshia Kiyan, another volunteer, said she helped coordinate support through social media, connecting stranded drivers with those able to assist.

“I made as many posts as I could, asking for water, food and fuel,” she said.

Kiyan said volunteers monitored incoming messages and worked to direct help to those most in need, including a 19-year-old driver who had been stranded alone for more than 20 hours.

“We just kept track of where people were and tried to get help to them,” she said.

Kiyan and Laidlaw both said the response underscored how quickly the community came together to support those affected.

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