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| Fort McMurray evacuation orders lifted as some workers and residents return | Fort McMurray evacuation orders lifted as some workers and residents return |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Alberta officials have lifted mandatory evacuation orders in some areas north of Fort McMurray, where a raging wildfire has forced the evacuation of more than 80,000 people and the closure of oil sands operations. | Alberta officials have lifted mandatory evacuation orders in some areas north of Fort McMurray, where a raging wildfire has forced the evacuation of more than 80,000 people and the closure of oil sands operations. |
| Officials said on Saturday conditions had improved in some parts north of the oil sands city. Suncor Energy and Syncrude will now be able to resume their idled northern oil sands operations and bring back evacuated workers. | Officials said on Saturday conditions had improved in some parts north of the oil sands city. Suncor Energy and Syncrude will now be able to resume their idled northern oil sands operations and bring back evacuated workers. |
| About 8,000 oil sands workers in camps north of Fort McMurray were evacuated last Tuesday after gusting winds and high temperatures caused the fire to move rapidly towards them. That was in addition to the 80,000 people ordered to evacuate Fort McMurray nearly two and a half weeks ago. | About 8,000 oil sands workers in camps north of Fort McMurray were evacuated last Tuesday after gusting winds and high temperatures caused the fire to move rapidly towards them. That was in addition to the 80,000 people ordered to evacuate Fort McMurray nearly two and a half weeks ago. |
| 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 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. | |
| Related: Alberta wildfire spreads out from Fort McMurray to Saskatchewan | Related: Alberta wildfire spreads out from Fort McMurray to Saskatchewan |
| The blaze, which began on 1 May, has covered 1,930 square miles, including areas that are still burning and those where the fire has been put out, along with nearly three square miles in the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan. | The blaze, which began on 1 May, has covered 1,930 square miles, including areas that are still burning and those where the fire has been put out, along with nearly three square miles in the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan. |
| More than 2,400 buildings were destroyed in Fort McMurray, but 90% of the city remains intact, including essential infrastructure like the hospital, water treatment plant and airport. | More than 2,400 buildings were destroyed in Fort McMurray, but 90% of the city remains intact, including essential infrastructure like the hospital, water treatment plant and airport. |
| Officials hope cooler temperatures, higher humidity and rain forecast over the weekend will help stop the growth and spread of the fire. | Officials hope cooler temperatures, higher humidity and rain forecast over the weekend will help stop the growth and spread of the fire. |
| Alberta senior wildlife manager Chad Morrison said more favorable weather conditions over the last day or two had enabled officials to put more firefighters in key points on the ground. | Alberta senior wildlife manager Chad Morrison said more favorable weather conditions over the last day or two had enabled officials to put more firefighters in key points on the ground. |
| Morrison said the province planned to bring in 1,000 firefighters over the next two weeks, adding to 1,100 already on the ground. | |
| Officials hope to have the remaining evacuees return home starting 1 June. | Officials hope to have the remaining evacuees return home starting 1 June. |
| Morrison said the blaze had burned the same amount of forest as all fires consumed in Alberta last year. | Morrison said the blaze had burned the same amount of forest as all fires consumed in Alberta last year. |