It won’t be a matter of days: Fort McMurray fire burns out of control
Posted May 5, 2016 6:03 pm.
Last Updated May 5, 2016 7:57 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. (NEWS 1130) – It’s far from over in Fort McMurray as a wildfire continues to flatten the city.
Fire fighters are still fighting a dangerous blaze, trying to protect critical infrastructure and have had some success so far.
The province’s wildfire management branch says only Mother Nature can stop this fire.
Chad Morrison with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry admits their efforts are just a stop gap.
“Let me be clear – air tankers aren’t going to stop this fire. (This fire) is going to continue to push through these dry conditions until we actually get some significant rain to help us,” explains Morrison.
“I expect this fire to grow over the next number of days.”
A key priority for officials over the next couple of days is getting the roughly 25,000 people housed in mining camps north of the city to be transported to other areas of the province better equipped for accommodating people who are for now, homeless.
There is no indication yet on how many buildings have been destroyed or damaged in the city. The count stood at 1,600 on Wednesday.
LISTEN: NEWS 1130’s Ian Campbell reports from Edmonton evacuation centre
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley admits while it isn’t appropriate to speculate on how long evacuees will be displaced, it “won’t be a matter of days.”
“The damage to the community of Fort McMurray is extensive and the city is not safe for residents at this time,” says Notley, who adds there will be opportunities for residents to access their homes, but only once it is safe to do so.
“One the immediate threat has passed, we will still need to spend as much time as it takes to assess the infrastructure that is vital to support a community safely.”
The premier also urged evacuees to register with the Alberta Government to receive the services and support they need and are eligible for whether they have found their own accommodations or they are at a reception centre.
New wildfires
One of the challenges facing crews is the addition of new wildfires as they battle the Fort McMurray blaze. Notley says 18 new wildfires popped up yesterday. In total, province-wide there are 49 wildfires and seven of those are out of control.
“I want to underline to all Albertans that fire conditions remain extreme in the province and that several communities are battling wildfires. It’s not just Fort McMurray, although without question, this is by far the largest and most severely affected community,” adds Notley.
The federal government says it will match all donations to the Red Cross to help people displaced by the wildfire. A provincial state of emergency remains in place in Alberta.
Rogers is giving free long distance/texting to Fort McMurray until May 17 and we are partnering with the Red Cross. If you would like to donate $10, text the word FIRES to 45678.
