It’s completely out of control. About 90,000 people have now been evacuated from the area around Ft McMurray in northeastern Alberta
Harrowing tales of narrow escapes as the rushing flames engulfed both sides of roads leading out of town.
So far at least 1600 homes and buildings in the city have been lost, and now the fire has shifted southward threatening new areas.
The province has declared a state of emergency, and more evacuations are being ordered.
The military is ready to fly in supplies to those escaped and stranded in northern areas, and to firefighters attempting to combat the fire.
Meanwhile, neighbouring British Columbia to the west, with some 85 wildfires burning says it can’t spare any resources and has ordered its own evacuation in the Peace region as fires burn there.
BC Wildfire Service spokesman Kevin Skrepnek says there have been 203 fires in B.C since April 1 due to unusually hot and dry conditions across all of western Canada where temperatures have been reaching into the high 20’s and low 30’s Celsius. He says it’s an unusually high number for this early in the fire season.
*
Manitoba also says its firefighting resources are stretched to the limit and it can’t send help to Alberta. With 28 wildfires in the province officials say that resources are completely engaged at present, but if conditions ease, they will try to send help to their western neighbour.
Quebec which has been experiencing a cool damp spring currently has no fires burning and says it will send four of its water bombers to help Alberta.
In northern Alberta, the weather today is forecast to be cooler which could work against the fire.
Across Canada today there are 145 wildfires burning, 130 listed as out of control. There have been 1,156 wildfires to date this year.
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.