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| Alberta wildfire spreads out from Fort McMurray to Saskatchewan Alberta wildfire spreads out from Fort McMurray to Saskatchewan | |
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| A massive wildfire raging in Canada’s oil sands capital has moved into Alberta’s neighboring province of Saskatchewan, but officials said hope cooler temperatures and rain forecast for the coming days will help mitigate its spread. | A massive wildfire raging in Canada’s oil sands capital has moved into Alberta’s neighboring province of Saskatchewan, but officials said hope cooler temperatures and rain forecast for the coming days will help mitigate its spread. |
| Alberta senior wildlife manager Chad Morrison said on Thursday the fire, which has grown to 1,930 square miles (5,000 square km), has burned nearly three square miles (eight square km) into Saskatchewan. However, it is still about 18 miles (30km) away from La Loche, the nearest Saskatchewan community. | Alberta senior wildlife manager Chad Morrison said on Thursday the fire, which has grown to 1,930 square miles (5,000 square km), has burned nearly three square miles (eight square km) into Saskatchewan. However, it is still about 18 miles (30km) away from La Loche, the nearest Saskatchewan community. |
| News of the fire’s spread comes a day after officials said that the more than 80,000 residents who were forced to evacuate Fort McMurray and surrounding regions two weeks ago could return home starting on 1 June if conditions are deemed to be safe. | News of the fire’s spread comes a day after officials said that the more than 80,000 residents who were forced to evacuate Fort McMurray and surrounding regions two weeks ago could return home starting on 1 June if conditions are deemed to be safe. |
| Emergency management commissioner Duane McKay said there is no direct threat from the flames, in part because of the lake next to the community and because fires last year mean there’s less brush and trees to burn. | Emergency management commissioner Duane McKay said there is no direct threat from the flames, in part because of the lake next to the community and because fires last year mean there’s less brush and trees to burn. |
| McKay said there’s hope that winds from the east will help clear some of the smoke moving toward the La Loche community. | McKay said there’s hope that winds from the east will help clear some of the smoke moving toward the La Loche community. |
| Premier Rachel Notley reiterated Thursday that the Fort McMurray fire continues to “burn out of control” north of the city but emergency crews have been successful in securing the oil sands facilities from the fiery flames. | Premier Rachel Notley reiterated Thursday that the Fort McMurray fire continues to “burn out of control” north of the city but emergency crews have been successful in securing the oil sands facilities from the fiery flames. |
| Morrison said a trace amount of rain fell in the region Thursday morning and more moisture, along with cooler temperatures, are forecast in the coming days. | Morrison said a trace amount of rain fell in the region Thursday morning and more moisture, along with cooler temperatures, are forecast in the coming days. |
| “We don’t count rain until it hits the bucket,” he said. “We’re optimistic we’ll see rain, but we’ll still be attacking the fires hard.” | “We don’t count rain until it hits the bucket,” he said. “We’re optimistic we’ll see rain, but we’ll still be attacking the fires hard.” |
| Since the fire ignited 1 May and started spreading rapidly after that, about 1,921 structures were destroyed in Fort McMurray, but 90% of the city remains intact, including essential infrastructure like the hospital, water treatment plant and the airport. | Since the fire ignited 1 May and started spreading rapidly after that, about 1,921 structures were destroyed in Fort McMurray, but 90% of the city remains intact, including essential infrastructure like the hospital, water treatment plant and the airport. |
| Morrison said so far the blaze has burned the same amount of forest as all fires consumed in Alberta last year. | Morrison said so far the blaze has burned the same amount of forest as all fires consumed in Alberta last year. |
| Northern Alberta is the heartland of Canada’s oil sands industry and the effects of the enormous wildfire on the oil sector have prompted forecasters to trim their 2016 economic growth predictions for the entire country. The emergency forced nearby oil sands facilities to shut down. | Northern Alberta is the heartland of Canada’s oil sands industry and the effects of the enormous wildfire on the oil sector have prompted forecasters to trim their 2016 economic growth predictions for the entire country. The emergency forced nearby oil sands facilities to shut down. |
| The Alberta oil sands have the third-largest reserves of oil in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Its workers largely live in Fort McMurray, a former frontier outpost-turned-city whose residents come from all over Canada. | The Alberta oil sands have the third-largest reserves of oil in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Its workers largely live in Fort McMurray, a former frontier outpost-turned-city whose residents come from all over Canada. |