Fort Mcmurray - Canada's Oil Hub Burns - 80,000+ Evacuated

What's the latest situation now? Fire still burning or put out?

Related by not direct fatalities. So sad:

"Highway 881 was closed in both directions Wednesday afternoon because of a crash that killed two people. An SUV and tractor-trailer, reported to be a fuel truck, collided. The highway reopened late Wednesday and the investigation is ongoing."

[link to www.theglobeandmail.com]

I just got an update on the radio & no the fire is not out. In fact it has spread even further. The people that were evacuated further North of Fort McMurray yesterday are now being evacuated even further North again due to the fire spreading to their area. Those poor people must be feeling so stressed.

Global News now has a live stream ongoing to keep us updated on all of this. Please keep it open & you will be up to date

[link to globalnews.ca]

For real time live interactive map(Canadian Wildland Fire Information System):


[link to cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca]

All sorts of overlays available here, perimeter, hotspots, forecast ect....

why isnt this pinned?

if it was in california it would be super pinned.

"The fire remains on the north side of the #ymm airport & is moving east. Smoke covers the airfield. Fuel tank farms being watered down." #CBC Via Twitter

Latest update on damage in the city:

[link to mobile.twitter.com (secure)]

Samara, I have heard nothing about areas north of the city being evacuated. Anzac was evacuated last night, but it is to the south.

Just donated $2 to their relief fund at grocery store :)

Updates from the radio as of now.

The fire is spreading & fire crews are struggling to contain it.

The Airport is still operating, though some buildings are damaged by the fire

A fire burning on the West side of Ft. McMurrary & 2 others
on the East side

Around 300 evacs that are staying at a campground are now looking at moving in towards Edmonton because they are running out of supplies at the campground.

Trudeau said military will be assisting in operations & that he will match donations made by people to the Red Cross.

Across the rest of Western Canada, the outlook does not look good for the rest of the Summer, according to scientists.

That's it for now.

In these NASA images, the fire seems to have started near some cutlines:

[link to globalnews.ca]

If you go to Google and zoom in on those cutlines, you'll see high-power transmission lines. I'm sure much better images pinpointing the location of the epicenter are being examined by investigators.

In the 7am radio news today, they said that the fire was or has moved North to the area where the evacuates went to yesterday & they have to move again to another camp further north. Also said the the First Nations reserve is also being evac'd.

The info is coming from different sources & probably is not totally accurate, but close enough. It's a difficult situation up there to get info out to the media.

Thanks, Samara. Coverage is starting to drop off now elsewhere, as it does with situations that go on for a while.

I've heard on the morning news that the fires on the B.C.-Alberta border may be fought by B.C. crews if they cross the border, because Alberta is stretched to the limit right now.

The Wood Buffalo authorities stated on their website that news interviews are on hold for now. They're too busy.

If you hear about the people north of Fort McMurray being evacuated, please post. This was discussed yesterday as a possibility once the military is brought in. There are landing strips up there near the oil facilities.

If it was California it would be pinned and there would be 5 threads about it. There would be a lot of drama.

It's a huge story - but slow moving in the morning. Forest fires are that way. Afternoon is often a different story.

They're still telling everyone in the camps North of the city to stay put.

[link to mobile.twitter.com (secure)]

More to come in a few hours, as the emergency operations staff are on the move again.

[link to mobile.twitter.com (secure)]

More help is arriving:

[link to www.cbc.ca]

[link to calgaryherald.com]

keep us updated

People were asking yesterday about oil prices:

[link to www.cbc.ca]

[link to www.theglobeandmail.com]

pandemonium

By the time people get the "three minute notice" they have usually had several hours to observe the situation getting worse. The only people who have to panic at the last moment, are those who believed the earlier announcements that everything was under control.

I was working at Petro-Canada's McKay River site north of Fort McMurray, back in 2008. At supper time, they announced that everything was under control. I immediately started packing as did many others. In the morning, they were scrambling to order buses on short notice and get us out of there.

Never rely on the authorities for help or true information.

This explains how burning members can jump a wide river.

[link to www.ctvnews.ca]

Some of the videos posted in this thread show those embers flying around as people flee. A fire break around the city probably wouldn't have helped very much in this situation, if one existed.

Many evacuees forced from their Fort McMurray homes by wildfire Tuesday are on the move once again.

Three communities south of Fort McMurray, one including an evacuation centre, were ordered to leave as changing weather patterns turned the wildfire their way late Wednesday evening.


A red glow from the encroaching fire can be seen ominously framing the Anzac evacuation centre as people board buses.


[link to www.cbc.ca]

In the 50s this morning in Fort McMurray. Winds are light out of the NW which is better for firefighting.

Hopefully crews can stop it from advancing any farther north towards the evacuees.

Not too much smoke near the airport.
[link to www.webcams.travel]

100% true. With fires like this, things change rapidly....one minute your safe & 15mins later you have to evac. So always have your important docs gathered in a back pack & special photos, some clothes & gas up the car, & be ready to go at a moments notice. Not the right time to let the dog or cat wander around outside in an open area. Animals sense danger & will run.

so news update as of 10am PT.

Officials have ordered evacs for Anzac, First Nations & Gregoire (sp) Estates.

Bank of Montreal estimates the cost of insurance for damage from fires could top $9 billions (Cdn)

The fire has consumed more than 1,600 homes & more than 10,000 hectacres of land.

End of info.

New info is very slow today.

Live news conference on CBC now.

[link to www.cbc.ca]

Fire now at 85,000 hectares.

Evacuations by air of people in the camps will begin at 1 pm MDT. Oil industry partners will provide transport. DND Hercules also will help out. Supplies will be taken in, people taken out.

Supplies are still adequate in the camps.

Ground transport of people in the camps will also be allowed once tanker tanks set up on the highway to provide gas.

Another 1000 firefighters from elsewhere are ready to be deployed. Fire expected to grow today.

Evacuees have complained about short notice to get out.Scott Long explains the unpredictable nature of wildfires. Notice done as efficiently as possible given the dynamic nature of the fire.

Question: Where precisely is the Wood Buffalo Landfill in relation to the place where the fire started? I think I've found it on Google satellite.

[link to www.rmwb.ca]