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The wildfire burns in an industrial area in the southern part of Fort McMurray, Alberta. Photo Reuters |
The Canadian province of Alberta raced to evacuate the entire
population of Fort McMurray where an uncontrolled wildfire
was taking hold in the heart of the country's oil sands
region, with dry winds forecast that could fuel the blaze.
Alberta appealed for military help to battle the fire and
airlift people from the smoke-filled city after authorities
issued a mandatory evacuation order for 80,000, but officials
said army and air force assistance would take two days to
arrive.
About 44,000 people were estimated to be on the roads,
fleeing the city, while approximately 8000 had reached an
evacuation centre outside Fort McMurray, officials said.
"Right now, we have fire burning within the city," Chief
Darby Allen of Fort McMurray's fire department told
reporters. "It is impacting communities as we speak. Homes
are on fire as we speak."
The 2650ha fire, which was discovered on Sunday, shifted
aggressively with the wind on Tuesday (local time) to breach
city limits. The blaze closed off the main southern exit from
the city, Highway 93, prompting many residents to head north
towards the oil sands camps.
The southern route eventually reopened but traffic was
quickly gridlocked in both directions. Gas stations
throughout the area were out of fuel and police were
patrolling the highway with gas cans.
"This is the biggest evacuation we have seen in the history
of the province," Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said at a
news conference, adding that there were no known casualties.
"We need to find more camps. We have secured spaces for about
6000 people. We know we need to find more and that work is
under way," Notley said.
Alberta is much drier than normal for this time of year,
strengthening prospects for a long and expensive wildfire
season, in the wake of a mild winter with lower-than-average
snowfall and a warm spring.
Authorities expect increased winds on Wednesday that will
make it harder to fight the fire.
"Tomorrow is expected to be a more intense burning day," said
Bruce Mayer, assistant deputy minister of Alberta's Forestry
Division.
Suncor Energy, whose oil sands operations are closest to the
city, said its main plant, 25km north of Fort McMurray, was
safe, but it was reducing crude production in the region to
allow employees and families to get to safety.
Suncor said evacuees were welcome at its Firebag oil sands
facility, while Canadian Natural Resources Ltd said it was
working to ensure any affected CNRL workers and their
families could use its camps.
Shell Canada also said it would open its oil sands camp to
evacuees and was looking to use its airstrip to fly out
non-essential staff and accommodate displaced residents.
A number of flights from Fort McMurray airport were cancelled
and the airport advised passengers to check with their
airlines for updates.
The blaze started southwest of Fort McMurray and spread
rapidly to the outskirts of the city, about 430km northeast
of Alberta's capital, Edmonton. Radio stations were forced
off the air as staff left the downtown core.
"There's lots of smoke, it's quite bad and hanging over the
city," one resident, Nick Sanders, told Reuters as he packed
up to leave downtown. "Where there are trees in the distance
you can see the fire."
Television footage and photographs on Twitter showed flames
and smoke billowing over the city and a destroyed trailer
park. Officials said a gas station had exploded and flames
engulfed the roof of a Super 8 Hotel during a live report on
Canadian television.
At least one residential neighbourhood in the city's
southeast had been destroyed by the fire and others were
severely damaged or still under threat, local fire chief
Allen said.
"I'm afraid that huge parts of my home town, Fort McMurray,
may burn tonight and will continue to burn tomorrow," Brian
Jean, leader of Alberta's official opposition party, told CBC
Radio, adding that his own home was in the immediate path of
the fire.
"My thoughts are with people affected by the fire in Fort
McMurray tonight," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted.
"Stay safe and remember to follow evacuation orders."
Nine air tankers, more than a dozen helicopters and about 150
firefighters were battling the fire, officials said.
Most oil sands facilities are to the north and east of the
city. Representatives of Syncrude, CNOOC subsidiary Nexen
Energy and pipeline company Enbridge all said their
operations were unaffected.
The fire is the second major one in the oil sands region in
less than a year. Last May, wildfires led to the evacuation
of hundreds of workers from the region, and a 9 percent cut
in Alberta's oil sands output.
Last year's evacuations led to shutdowns by Cenovus Energy
and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd at some of their projects.
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