Thread: Entire City Flees Raging Wildfire in Canada

Fort McMurray Wildfire: 80,000 Evacuated Over Out-of-Control Blaze

-The entire population of the Canadian oil city of Fort McMurray was being evacuated overnight as authorities battled an out-of-control wildfire that was likely to worsen Wednesday.

There were long lines on highways as 80,000 residents fled the blaze and oil sands work camps were pressed into service as emergency shelters.

"Apocalyptic" and "harrowing" scenes on social media showed vehicles facing thick smoke and raging roadside flames amid the largest evacuation in the province of Alberta's history.

"The city is under a complete mandatory evacuation order," Wood Buffalo municipality spokesman Robin Smith told NBC News early Wednesday, adding that an estimated 80,000 people had left the city...

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/fo...-blaze-n567371

AJ, I know you're in Alberta, is this anywhere near you?

wow! I have seen that sort of thing here and I know it is real scary

I'm surprised that is happening up there especially this time of year. Isn't it must prairie country? Or is it in the forested area?

Originally Posted by Pentecali

wow! I have seen that sort of thing here and I know it is real scary

I'm surprised that is happening up there especially this time of year. Isn't it must prairie country? Or is it in the forested area?

Lots of forest up there. AND it's been extremely dry this spring. Snow's long gone and no significant rain.

Here's a picture comparing area to let you give you some idea of how big the fire is.

As of Thursday, it was approx 85,000 hectares = 210,000 acres = 330 Square miles and still growing.

This is where I live in relation to the fire. I'm the pin in the south.

ooops......... that's a screen shot from my phone. Sorry it's so big.

Here's an update on the size of the fire.

Fort McMurray wildfire: Size of fire could double by Saturday
Edmonton,Alberta / iNews880
Kirby Bourne
Posted: May 06, 2016 09:47 pm

The weather is not cooperating with us right now.

That’s the message from Municipal Affairs Minister Danielle Larivee. “The Fort McMurray wildfire is estimated to now be 101,000 hectares in size,” she said. “Conditions remain dangerous and I want to stress that the communities of Fort McMurray, Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates and Fort McMurray First Nation are still under a mandatory evacuation notice. These areas are not safe and people are not able to return to these communities until safety is assured.”

Larivee also announced an immediate ban on All Terrain Vehicles. She says this restriction applies only to recreational use on public lands and provincial parks, including designated off highway vehicle trails. Exceptions to the ban include farm commercial and aboriginal use.

Chad Morrison with Alberta Wildfire says the fire continues to grow from the Northeast away from Fort McMurray. He expects the fire to continue to grow over the next two days and says it could double in size by the end of the day on Saturday.

http://www.inews880.com/2016/05/06/f...uth-on-hwy-63/

101,000 hectares = 250,000 acres = 390 square miles

This is just one example of what people had to drive through to get out of the city.

And another area along the Alberta/BC border has evacuation orders.

The risk of fire this year is extremely high.

About 1,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes in northeastern B.C., as one of the province's biggest wildfires forced a new evacuation order and a dramatic expansion of an evacuation alert zone.

As the Beatton Airport Road fire grew to 12,000 hectares, 500 people were told to leave their rural homes immediately.

Another 500 people in the nearby Blueberry River First Nation are also leaving.

Meanwhile, the evacuation alert zone has expanded dramatically.

About 5,000 people living along a 40-kilometre stretch of the Alaska Highway are being told to be ready to leave at a moment's notice.

On Friday afternoon, the expanded evacuation alert zone stretched from Mile 85 of the Alaska Highway all the way down through Charlie Lake to just north of Fort St John.

An emergency reception centre has been set up in Fort St John.

"We've got some pretty active fires going right now," said Shannon Anderson, emergency operations centre director for the Peace River Regional District. "It's something we haven't seen in our area for quite some time."

On Thursday, the fire was about 45 kilometres north of Fort St. John, at Mile 80 on the Alaska Highway.

On Friday, the fire jumped the Alaska Highway and continued to grow.

A travel advisory for the Alaska Highway remains in effect and a smoke advisory has been issued for the North Peace.



http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...john-1.3570364