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| Officials plan mass road convoy as Canada's wildfires grow tenfold | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Officials in western Canada plan to move thousands of Fort McMurray residents who fled a catastrophic wildfire to workcamps north of the city in a mass road convoy on Friday. | |
| Authorities scrambled to organise an airlift of 8,000 people from the camps after the wildfire grew tenfold on Thursday and hoped to move thousands more by road to safer areas as it threatened to engulf huge areas of the arid province of Alberta. | |
| A helicopter will lead an initial evacuation convoy of 400 vehicles to make sure the highway is safe and will pass through Fort McMurray where the fire has torched 1,600 homes and other buildings. | |
| Related: 'Nothing short of terrifying': Alberta wildfires grow eight times in size | Related: 'Nothing short of terrifying': Alberta wildfires grow eight times in size |
| Officials said 25,000 people had taken shelter in the oilsands work camps to the north of Fort McMurray when the out-of-control blaze engulfed the city.in Canada’s energy heartland, burning down whole neighborhoods, and forced a precautionary shutdown of some oil production, driving up global oil prices. | |
| The Alberta government, which declared a state of emergency, said more than 1,100 firefighters, 145 helicopters, 138 pieces of heavy equipment and 22 air tankers were fighting a total of 49 wildfires, with seven considered out of control. | The Alberta government, which declared a state of emergency, said more than 1,100 firefighters, 145 helicopters, 138 pieces of heavy equipment and 22 air tankers were fighting a total of 49 wildfires, with seven considered out of control. |
| Three days after the residents were ordered to leave Fort McMurray, firefighters were still battling to protect homes, businesses and other structures from the flames. More than 1,600 structures, including hundreds of homes, have been destroyed. | Three days after the residents were ordered to leave Fort McMurray, firefighters were still battling to protect homes, businesses and other structures from the flames. More than 1,600 structures, including hundreds of homes, have been destroyed. |
| Chad Morrison, Alberta’s manager of wildfire prevention, said rain was needed. | |
| “Let me be clear: air tankers are not going to stop this fire. It is going to continue to push through these dry conditions until we actually get some significant rain.” | |
| No rain clouds were expected around Fort McMurray until late Saturday, with a 40% chance of showers, according to online forecasts by Environment Canada. | |
| Alberta premier Rachel Notley said in a press briefing on Thursday night that it was not possible to know when residents would not be able to return to the city. “The damage to the community of Fort McMurray is extensive and the city is not safe for residents. It is simply not possible, nor is it responsible to speculate on a time when citizens will be able to return. We do know that it will not be a matter of days.”. | |
| Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, described the week’s harrowing events as the largest fire evacuation in Alberta’s history. | Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, described the week’s harrowing events as the largest fire evacuation in Alberta’s history. |
| “Homes have been destroyed. Neighbourhoods have gone up in flames. The footage we’ve seen of cars racing down highways while fire races on all sides is nothing short of terrifying,” he said. The Alberta community looked “like a war-torn corner of the world instead of our own backyard,” he added. | “Homes have been destroyed. Neighbourhoods have gone up in flames. The footage we’ve seen of cars racing down highways while fire races on all sides is nothing short of terrifying,” he said. The Alberta community looked “like a war-torn corner of the world instead of our own backyard,” he added. |
| Officials warned that the communities of Anzac and Gregoire Lake Estates about 50 km (31 miles) south of Fort McMurray were “under extreme threat,” late on Thursday, as the flames spread to the southeast. | Officials warned that the communities of Anzac and Gregoire Lake Estates about 50 km (31 miles) south of Fort McMurray were “under extreme threat,” late on Thursday, as the flames spread to the southeast. |
| Related: Wildfires in Canada force evacuation of Fort McMurray – in pictures | Related: Wildfires in Canada force evacuation of Fort McMurray – in pictures |
| Fire has intermittently blocked the only route south toward major cities, so thousands of evacuees fled north toward oil camps and a few small settlements. Notley said some 4,000 people had already been airlifted to the cities of Edmonton and Calgary late on Thursday. | |
| Erica Decker, who was sheltering in Edmonton with her young family, described having to flee her home in Fort McMurray. | Erica Decker, who was sheltering in Edmonton with her young family, described having to flee her home in Fort McMurray. |
| When she spotted a small circle of orange flames flickering in the trees outside, she knew she had just minutes left in the house she had always described as her dream home. | When she spotted a small circle of orange flames flickering in the trees outside, she knew she had just minutes left in the house she had always described as her dream home. |
| “As we pulled out of the driveway, we could see the flames reaching our front lawn,” said Decker, her voice shaking as she fought back tears. “We knew we wouldn’t have anything to go back to.” | “As we pulled out of the driveway, we could see the flames reaching our front lawn,” said Decker, her voice shaking as she fought back tears. “We knew we wouldn’t have anything to go back to.” |
| Walls of flames flanked the road as they made their way out of the town. “It was something out of a movie,” she told the Guardian. “It was absolutely apocalyptic, there were vehicles stranded everywhere, the sky was black and orange, there were – and are still – so many people trapped.” | Walls of flames flanked the road as they made their way out of the town. “It was something out of a movie,” she told the Guardian. “It was absolutely apocalyptic, there were vehicles stranded everywhere, the sky was black and orange, there were – and are still – so many people trapped.” |
| On their first night in Edmonton, her two-year-old daughter kept asking for her own bed and her toys. “There was nothing we could for her,” she said. “Its unbelievably hard to watch a child go through that and do not understand why they can’t have the things they want.” | On their first night in Edmonton, her two-year-old daughter kept asking for her own bed and her toys. “There was nothing we could for her,” she said. “Its unbelievably hard to watch a child go through that and do not understand why they can’t have the things they want.” |
| Soon after, her worst fears were confirmed. Images from Fort McMurray showed an empty space where her home once stood in the neighbourhood of Beacon Hill, the scorched front steps the only trace of the bay-windowed house. “I don’t think there’s anything for me to return for,” she said. | Soon after, her worst fears were confirmed. Images from Fort McMurray showed an empty space where her home once stood in the neighbourhood of Beacon Hill, the scorched front steps the only trace of the bay-windowed house. “I don’t think there’s anything for me to return for,” she said. |
| On Thursday, frustration for those stranded up north was growing, with some venting on social media sites, demanding answers. | On Thursday, frustration for those stranded up north was growing, with some venting on social media sites, demanding answers. |
| One twitter user posted a message saying, “NO ONE IS TELLING US ANYTHING!! We’re just sitting in a camp praying to get out!! Give us answers!!! Please.” | One twitter user posted a message saying, “NO ONE IS TELLING US ANYTHING!! We’re just sitting in a camp praying to get out!! Give us answers!!! Please.” |
| Officials said with the fire moving to the south east, they are also hoping to be able to begin a ground evacuation from the north on Friday morning. | Officials said with the fire moving to the south east, they are also hoping to be able to begin a ground evacuation from the north on Friday morning. |
| Although the cause of the fire was unknown, officials said tinder-dry brush, low humidity and hot, gusting winds left crews unable to stop the massive conflagration. | Although the cause of the fire was unknown, officials said tinder-dry brush, low humidity and hot, gusting winds left crews unable to stop the massive conflagration. |
| The blaze, which erupted on Sunday, grew from 18,500 acres (7,500 hectares) on Wednesday aided by high winds, scorching heat and low humidity, to some 210,000 acres (85,000 hectares) on Thursday, an area roughly 10 times the size of Manhattan. | The blaze, which erupted on Sunday, grew from 18,500 acres (7,500 hectares) on Wednesday aided by high winds, scorching heat and low humidity, to some 210,000 acres (85,000 hectares) on Thursday, an area roughly 10 times the size of Manhattan. |
| Unseasonably hot temperatures combined with dry conditions have transformed the forest in much of Alberta into a tinder box ahead of the usual spring rains which turn the area green. Morrison said they are investigating the cause of the fire but he said it started in a remote forested area and said it could have been lightning. | Unseasonably hot temperatures combined with dry conditions have transformed the forest in much of Alberta into a tinder box ahead of the usual spring rains which turn the area green. Morrison said they are investigating the cause of the fire but he said it started in a remote forested area and said it could have been lightning. |
| Related: Have you been affected by the Alberta wildfires? | Related: Have you been affected by the Alberta wildfires? |
| Bill Patzert, a climatologist at Nasa, said the El Nino global weather system brought Alberta a mild winter and low snowpack. Patzert said the flames sparked at a time between the snowy season and before springtime rains that turn the landscape green, making the region especially vulnerable to wildfire. | Bill Patzert, a climatologist at Nasa, said the El Nino global weather system brought Alberta a mild winter and low snowpack. Patzert said the flames sparked at a time between the snowy season and before springtime rains that turn the landscape green, making the region especially vulnerable to wildfire. |
| “In a way, it’s a perfect storm,” Patzert said. “It’s been warm, it’s been dry and windy. It’s the in-between period before you’re in the full bloom of spring.” | “In a way, it’s a perfect storm,” Patzert said. “It’s been warm, it’s been dry and windy. It’s the in-between period before you’re in the full bloom of spring.” |
| The winds gave the city a brief reprieve on Thursday by driving the fire to the south-east, away from populated areas. But officials warned that the unpredictable weather could quickly shift again. | The winds gave the city a brief reprieve on Thursday by driving the fire to the south-east, away from populated areas. But officials warned that the unpredictable weather could quickly shift again. |
| At least 680,000 barrels per day of crude output was offline by Thursday evening, according to Reuters calculations, or roughly 20% of Canada’s crude production. The outage is expected to climb as major players in the region cut production. | At least 680,000 barrels per day of crude output was offline by Thursday evening, according to Reuters calculations, or roughly 20% of Canada’s crude production. The outage is expected to climb as major players in the region cut production. |
| Athabasca Oil said on Thursday that rapidly advancing fires in the south of the city were behind its decision to shut down its Hangingstone oilsands project and evacuate all personnel. In a statement, the company estimated that the fire front was just 5km away from its facility. | Athabasca Oil said on Thursday that rapidly advancing fires in the south of the city were behind its decision to shut down its Hangingstone oilsands project and evacuate all personnel. In a statement, the company estimated that the fire front was just 5km away from its facility. |
| Authorities said there had been no known casualties from the blaze itself, but fatalities were reported in at least one vehicle crash along the evacuation route. | Authorities said there had been no known casualties from the blaze itself, but fatalities were reported in at least one vehicle crash along the evacuation route. |
| Notley said a water tanker plane slid off the runway in another part of the province. Police said the two pilots survived, but were taken to hospital as a precaution. | Notley said a water tanker plane slid off the runway in another part of the province. Police said the two pilots survived, but were taken to hospital as a precaution. |