Fort McMurray, ALTA devastated by raging wildfire, officials say it could get worse.

[woodbuck27]

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/fort-mcmurray-devastated-raging-wildfire-officials-could-worse-100024848.html

Fort McMurray devastated by raging wildfire, officials say it could get worse

" A wildfire that is raging in the northern Alberta oilsands city of Fort McMurray has now destroyed 80 per cent of the homes in one neighbourhood and extensively damaged property in a number of others. "

For too many everything they worked their lives for is gone. They do have the rest of their lives to rebuild and they will.

The Canadian Press

May 4, 2016

Comment woodbuck27:

This is the greatest natural disaster (I believe) in our Nation's history. Many people have lost their homes to this fire and are only left with a vehicle and the cloths on their backs. The entire city of Fort McMurray (Pop, > 80K) has been evacuated. The logistics involved in doing so is incredible in terms of the challenge.

The entire nation will pull together over this disaster. Fire fighters are working even through their time off and are exhausted. They managed to extinguish all the fires in Fort McMurray. There have been no lives lost.


" Fire Chief Darby Allen said they have requested military assistance and expect the army and air force will start sending out troops within a couple of days.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted late Tuesday that he had spoken to Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and offered his government's support. "

[Patler]

Amazing, and wonderful, that no one has been lost with as much being burned as reported.

Any indication what started the fire?

[woodbuck27]

Amazing, and wonderful, that no one has been lost with as much being burned as reported.

Any indication what started the fire?

Hi Patler:

Yes so far as I'm aware no loss of life even indirectly ie 'a heart attack' and this disaster for ALTA residents of the Fort McMurray area.

Mae and I belong to a group of Seniors that get together now every Wed. We're working as a group to organize in the Port Severn and Honey Harbour neighborhood. We meet at Croatian Canadian friends of ours who run a Primitive cooking business.....Lucky ad Heidi. I brought up this tragedy for the residents of Fort McMurray and vicinity yesterday and Lucky remarked that it might take months for the origin of a fire in a Boreal Forest to become established as a forest fire of enormous destruction. Someone tosses a cigarette and thinks maybe I should have stamped that out or even putting that cigarette under foot doesn't get the job done. No fire ensues and he/she thinks well ..."I 'm guessing all's OK.

Not necessarily the case.

Another problem is glass in the woods that can act like a magnifying glass and eventually start a raging forest fire. Men working in the woods on a dry hot day....a spark from a saw or other machinery gets a fire started and out of control.

At this time the temp is running in the 30 C range and that's unusually hot for this time of the year. Yesterday it was 30 C and winds to the south at 30 MPH. This fire is a beast that men and equipment are losing their battle with. We need rain... Mother Nature to step up.

It's a rel concern of late years these massive forest fires that keep on turning up with our hot and dryer weather. Climate change is a major culprit.

[woodbuck27]

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/situation-remains-volatile-residents-first-responders-fort-mcmurray-100014288.html

Situation remains volatile for residents, first responders in Fort McMurray


The Canadian Press ... May 5, 2016

FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. - An ever-changing, volatile situation is fraying the nerves of residents and officials alike as a massive wildfire continues to bear down on the Fort McMurray area of northern Alberta.

In the wee hours this morning, weary evacuees from Fort McMurray were sitting on buses headed for Edmonton after being forced out of their temporary shelter in nearby Anzac.

"They told us to get out — it is a safety issue," she said. "They just want people to have enough time and not be like Fort McMurray where all of a sudden the fire is on you."

For the rest of this story please click the LINK.

[woodbuck27]

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/aerial-view-fort-mcmurray-wildfire-201613309.html

Perilous Conditions on Evacuation Route From Fort McMurray Wildfire


Storyful ...May 5, 2016

[woodbuck27]

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/fort-mcmurray-fire-evacuees-trying-012333541.html

Fort McMurray fire evacuees are trying to find shelter


Global News ... May 5, 2016

Thu, May 5: The wildfire that has devastated Fort McMurray exploded in size over the past 24 hours. As Ted Chernecki reports, officials are now struggling to find places for the thousands of evacuees.

[Freak Out]

I heard this evening the ALCAN closed. Pretty nasty fire. I could not believe how much the "Forts" has grown since the last time I drove through.

[woodbuck27]

I heard this evening the ALCAN closed. Pretty nasty fire. I could not believe how much the "Forts" has grown since the last time I drove through.

http://energeticcity.ca/article/news/2016/05/05/alaska-highway-closed-mile-73

Alaska Highway closed at Mile 73

See map in LINK above.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/alaska-highway-bc-wildfire-1.3569248

Wildfires spark state of emergency, Alaska Highway advisory near Fort St. John

[woodbuck27]

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/alberta-fire-evacuees-moved-2nd-time-weather-shifts-124022410.html

Canada evacuating 8,000 wildfire evacuees by air

The Associated Press ... The Canadian Press

May 5, 2016



A Beast can be beautiful.

[woodbuck27]

The number for the cost of this fire...is a reported :

$ 9,000,000,000.00.....$ 9 BILLION DOLLARS $.

[Freak Out]

VERY early start to the fire season up north. We see lots of large fires of this kind in interior AK as well....most of them are in unpopulated areas though.

[MadScientist]

A Beast can be beautiful.

A scene like that looks like it should be from a SF movie, not real life.

[woodbuck27]

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/family-watches-fort-mcmurray-home-143720972.html

Family watches Fort McMurray home burn on security camera

CBC.ca Videos

May 6, 2016

[woodbuck27]

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/wildfire-impacts-economy-002448527.html

Wildfire impacts economy

CBC.ca Videos ...May 6, 2016


RBC's Dawn Desjardins says Fort McMurray fire could lead to cuts in GDP outlook

[woodbuck27]

VERY early start to the fire season up north. We see lots of large fires of this kind in interior AK as well....most of them are in unpopulated areas though.

I believe if I got the number correctly.... in the news today their reporting 63 Wild Fires in BC and Alberta.