2016 Fort McMurray wildfire: Difference between revisions
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{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2016}} |
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{{Infobox wildfire |
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|title=2016 Fort McMurray wildfire<br><small>Horse River Fire</small><ref name="Horse River Fire">{{cite news|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/a-week-in-hell-how-fort-mcmurrayburned/article29932799/ |title=A Week in Hell – How Fort McMurray Burned |date=May 7, 2016 |publisher=The Globe & Mail |accessdate=May 8, 2016|quote=}}</ref><ref name="Horse River Fire 2">{{cite news|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/the-beast-is-alive-how-the-fire-that-tried-to-destroy-fort-mcmurray-is-still-burning-near-the-albertasaskatchewan-border |title=The Beast is alive: How the fire that tried to destroy Fort McMurray is still burning near the Saskatchewan border |date=November 4, 2016 |publisher=National Post |accessdate=November 4, 2016}}</ref> |
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|image=[[File:Landscape view of wildfire near Highway 63 in south Fort McMurray (cropped).jpg|frameless|center|upright=1.3]] |
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|caption=Fort McMurray residents evacuating along [[Alberta Highway 63|Highway 63]] as the fire encroaches on the area |
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|cost=$3.58 billion<ref name="DamageCost">{{cite news|last1=Romero|first1=Diego|title=Fort McMurray wildfires damage cost $3.58 billion|url=http://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/fort-mcmurray-wildfires-damage-cost-3-58-billion-1.2977275|accessdate=7 July 2016|work=CTV Edmonton|date=July 7, 2016}}</ref> |
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|location=[[Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo|Wood Buffalo]], [[Alberta]]<br />[[Division No. 18, Saskatchewan|Northern Saskatchewan]]<br>[[Canada]] |
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|date=May 1, 2016 – present<ref>{{cite news|last=Snowdon |first=Wallis |date=November 1, 2016|title=Is the Beast Still Burning? Fort McMurray Fire may smoulder through winter |url=http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/edmonton/is-the-beast-still-burning-fort-mcmurray-wildfire-may-smoulder-through-winter-1.3831462|website=CBC News |access-date=November 2, 2016}}</ref> |
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|timezone=[[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]] |
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|latd=56 |latm=42 |latNS=N |
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|longd=111 |longm=23 |longEW=W |
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|pushpin_map = Alberta |
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|pushpin_map_caption = Location in Alberta |
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|acres={{convert|589552|ha|acre}}<ref name="Under control" /> |
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|buildings=2,400<ref name="Global85%Stands" /><br/ >665 work camp units<ref name="Explosions"/> |
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|cause = |
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|landuse= [[Boreal forest of Canada|Boreal forest]], Residential, [[Athabasca oil sands|Oil Sands]] |
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|fatalities=0 (direct)<ref name="No hurt tweet" /><br>2 (indirect)<ref name="CBC tragedy">{{cite news|last=Lamoureux |first=Mack |date=May 6, 2016 |title='Tragedy, layered on tragedy': Girl, 15, killed in Fort McMurray evacuation |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/tragedy-layered-on-tragedy-girl-15-killed-in-fort-mcmurray-evacuation-1.3569518 |website=CBC News |access-date=May 16, 2016}}</ref> |
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|injuries=0<ref name="No hurt tweet" /> |
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|motive= |
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}} |
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<!-- Per MOS:BOLDTITLE and WP:SBE, neither the article's title nor related text appears in bold. -->On May 1, 2016, a [[wildfire]] began southwest of [[Fort McMurray]], [[Alberta]], Canada. {{as of|alt=On May 3|2016|May|03}}, it swept through the community, destroying approximately 2,400 homes and buildings and forcing the largest wildfire evacuation in [[History of Alberta|Albertan history]].<ref name="Global85%Stands">{{cite news|last1=Ramsay |first1=Caley |last2=Shum |first2=David |date=May 9, 2016 |title='Ocean of fire' destroys 2,400 structures but 85% of Fort McMurray still stands |trans-title= |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/2688553/notley-in-fort-mcmurray-monday-to-survey-wildfire-damage/ |website=Global News |access-date=May 10, 2016}}</ref><ref name="largestAB">{{cite news|url=http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-pushed-back-even-as-temperatures-climb|title=Thousands flee from Fort McMurray wildfire in the largest fire evacuation in Alberta's history|date=May 3, 2016|publisher=[[Postmedia Network]]|newspaper=[[Edmonton Journal]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510222635/http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-pushed-back-even-as-temperatures-climb|archive-date=May 10, 2016|dead-url=no|last1=Parsons|first1=Paige|accessdate=May 3, 2016}}</ref> It continued to spread across [[northern Alberta]] and into Saskatchewan,<ref name="EdmJ intoSask">{{cite news |last=Parsons |first=Paige |title=Fort McMurray fire grows to 505,000 hectares as it crosses into Saskatchewan |url=http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/fort-mcmurray-fire-crosses-into-saskatchewan-and-continues-to-grow |accessdate=May 19, 2016 | publisher=Edmomton Journal |date=May 19, 2016}}</ref> consuming forested areas and impacting [[Athabasca oil sands]] operations.<ref name="Trudeau visit">{{cite news |title=Justin Trudeau taking aerial tour of Fort McMurray |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/05/13/justin-trudeau-to-visit-fort-mcmurray-today.html |accessdate=May 13, 2016 |publisher=The Toronto Star |date=May 13, 2016}}</ref><ref name="SyncrudeShutdown">{{cite news|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/syncrude-canada-oil-sands-shut-down-staff-removed-due-to-fire/article29932912/|title=Syncrude Canada oil sands operation shut down, staff removed, due to Fort McMurray fire|date=May 7, 2016|work=The Globe and Mail|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510222822/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/syncrude-canada-oil-sands-shut-down-staff-removed-due-to-fire/article29932912/|archive-date=May 10, 2016|dead-url=no|last1=Jones|first1=Jeffrey|accessdate=May 7, 2016}}</ref> The fire spread across approximately {{convert|590000|ha|acre}} before it was declared to be under control on July 5, 2016.<ref name="Under control">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-now-considered-under-control-1.3664947 |title=Fort McMurray wildfire now considered under control |publisher=[[CBC News]] |date=2016-07-05 |accessdate=2016-07-05}}</ref> It is the costliest disaster in [[History of Canada|Canadian history]].<ref name="Insurance estimates">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/fort-mcmurray-insurance-cost-1.3568113|title=Fort McMurray fire could cost insurers $9B, BMO predicts|date=May 5, 2016|publisher=CBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510222907/http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/fort-mcmurray-insurance-cost-1.3568113|archive-date=May 10, 2016|dead-url=no|accessdate=May 5, 2016}}</ref><ref name="DamageCost" /> |
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==Progression== |
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[[File:2016 Fort McMurray wildfire (1).jpg|thumb|left|The wildfire burning near Fort McMurray on May 1, 2016]] |
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A local state of emergency was initially declared on May 1 at 9:57 p.m. (03:57 UTC May 2) with the Centennial Trailer Park, as well as the neighbourhoods of Prairie Creek and Gregoire under a mandatory evacuation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-braces-for-high-winds-in-battle-with-wildfire-1.3562108|title=Fort McMurray braces for high winds in battle with wildfire|last=Snowdon|first=William|date=May 2, 2016|work=CBC News Edmonton|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510223122/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-braces-for-high-winds-in-battle-with-wildfire-1.3562108|archive-date=May 10, 2016|dead-url=no|accessdate=May 3, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/fires-threatening-fort-mcmurray|title=Wildfire continues to threaten Fort McMurray neighbourhood|date=May 2, 2016|work=Edmonton Journal|last2=French|first2=Janet|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510223257/http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/fires-threatening-fort-mcmurray|archive-date=May 10, 2016|dead-url=no|last1=McDermot|first1=Vincent|accessdate=May 3, 2016}}</ref> The evacuation orders for the two neighbourhoods were reduced to a voluntary stay-in-place order by the night of May 2 as the fire moved southwest and away from the area.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/2016/05/02/crews-resume-battling-wildfires-near-fort-mcmurray-no-change-since-last-night |title='A great day for us': Wildfire moves away from Fort McMurray as crews fight blaze |last1=McDermot |first1=Vincent |last2=Bird |first2=Cullen |date=May 2, 2016 |newspaper=Fort McMurray Today |accessdate=May 3, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/2673945/residents-on-alert-as-three-wildfires-burn-near-fort-mcmurray/ |title='We are in for a rough day': Fort McMurray wildfire expected to flare up Tuesday afternoon |last1=Ivanov |first1=Jennifer |last2=Bartko |first2=Karen |last3=Heidenreich |first3=Phil |date=May 3, 2016 |work=Global News |accessdate=May 4, 2016}}</ref> However, the mandatory evacuation order was reinstated and expanded to 12 neighbourhoods on May 3 at 5:00 p.m. (23:00 UTC),<ref name="FMCCBC">{{cite news|title=Wildfire destroys Fort McMurray homes, most of city evacuated|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-fire-social-media-reflects-worries-and-fear-as-flames-enter-city-1.3564982|accessdate=May 3, 2016|work=CBC News Edmonton|date=May 3, 2016}}</ref> and to the entirety of Fort McMurray by 6:49 p.m. (00:49 UTC May 4).<ref name="largestAB" /><ref name="alberta">{{cite web|url=http://wildfire.alberta.ca/wildfire-status/wildfire-status-map.aspx|title=Wildfire Status Map | ESRD – Wildfire|publisher=wildfire.alberta.ca|accessdate=May 6, 2016}}</ref> A further order covering the nearby communities of [[Anzac, Alberta|Anzac]], [[Gregoire Lake Estates]], and [[Fort McMurray First Nation]] was issued at 9:50 p.m. on May 4 (03:50 UTC May 5).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rmwb.ca/News-Room/Media-Releases/Municipality-Announces-Mandatory-Evacuations-for-Anzac--Gregoire-Lake-Estates-and-Fort-McMurray-First-Nation_s2_p5451.htm | title=Municipality Announces Mandatory Evacuations for Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates and Fort McMurray First Nation | publisher=Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo | date=May 4, 2016 | accessdate=May 5, 2016}}</ref> It has been reported that 88,000 people were successfully evacuated, with no reported fatalities or injuries,<ref name="No hurt tweet">{{cite news |title=Tweet from Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo |url=https://twitter.com/RMWoodBuffalo/status/727897683940257792 |accessdate=May 4, 2016 |agency=[[Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo]] |publisher=Twitter |date=May 4, 2016 |quote=We have successfully evacuated 88,000 people with no reports of injuries or casualties so far #ymmfire }}</ref> but two people were killed in a vehicular collision during the evacuation.<ref name="Traffic deaths">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/2-die-in-fiery-crash-on-highway-881-south-of-fort-mcmurray-1.3567142 |title=2 die in fiery crash on Highway 881 south of Fort McMurray |date=May 4, 2016 |publisher=CBC News |accessdate=May 4, 2016}}</ref> Despite the mandatory evacuation order, staff at the water treatment plant remained in Fort McMurray in order to provide firefighters with water.<ref name="water-treatment-plant">{{cite news | url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-water-treatment-plant-1.3617505 | title = Fort McMurray's water warrior fought to keep the flow to firefighters going | last = Stewart | first = Briar | last2 = Reith | first2 = Terry | date = June 6, 2016 | website = CBC News Edmonton | publisher = CBC News | access-date = June 6, 2016}}</ref> |
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On May 4, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo reported the communities of [[Beacon Hill, Fort McMurray|Beacon Hill]], Abasand and [[Waterways, Alberta|Waterways]] had suffered "serious loss".<ref name="Wood Buffalo Update">{{cite web | url=http://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=41701E7ECBE35-AD48-5793-1642C499FF0DE4CF | title=Fort McMurray Wildfire Updates | publisher=Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo | date=May 7, 2016 | accessdate=May 7, 2016}}</ref> The Government of Alberta declared a provincial state of emergency, and said 1,600 buildings had been destroyed by the fires.<ref name="GlobalMay4AMupdate">{{cite news |last=Barkto |first=Karen |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/2679178/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-how-many-homes-have-been-lost-in-the-fire/ |title=Fort McMurray wildfire update: Roughly 1600 buildings destroyed in 'catastrophic' fire |publisher=Global News |date=May 4, 2016 |accessdate=May 4, 2016}}</ref> It was estimated that {{convert|10000|ha|acre}} of land had been burned.<ref name="North fly out">{{cite news |last=Edwards|first=Peter |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/05/05/more-communities-evacuated-as-fort-mcmurray-fire-moves-south.html |title=ire evacuees north of Fort McMurray to be airlifted out as 1,100 firefighters battle inferno |publisher=Toronto Star |date=May 5, 2016 |accessdate=May 5, 2016}}</ref> Evacuees who travelled north of Fort McMurray were advised to stay where they were, and not to come south on [[Alberta Highway 63|Highway 63]] as the fire was still burning out of control.<ref name="Wood Buffalo Update" /> A [[boil-water advisory]] was issued for the entire area just after 11 a.m. (17:00 UTC).<ref name="GlobalMay4AMupdate" /> At 4:05 p.m. (22:05 UTC) the fire crossed Highway 63 at Highway 69, south of Fort McMurray, and threatened the [[Fort McMurray International Airport|international airport]], which had suspended commercial operations earlier in the day.<ref name="Wood Buffalo Update" /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/more-evacuation-orders-issued-for-fort-mcmurray-area-1.3566310 |title='Catastrophic' Fort McMurray wildfire prompts state of emergency |last=McConnell |first=Rick |date=May 4, 2016 |publisher= CBC News |accessdate=May 4, 2016 |quote=}}</ref> The fire also forced the re-location of the Regional Emergency Operations Centre, which was originally in the vicinity of the airport.<ref name="spread south May 5">{{cite web |title=Fort McMurray evacuees flee again as fire spreads: 'It's almost like it's following us' |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/fort-mcmurray-evacuees-flee-again-as-fire-spreads-its-almost-like-its-following-us |accessdate=May 5, 2016 |work=National Post |date=May 5, 2016}}</ref> On May 4, the fire was found to be producing lightning and [[pyrocumulus cloud]]s due to its heat and large size, which added to the risk of more fires.<ref name=Pyrocumulus>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/06/weather/pyrocumulus-weather/|title= How wildfires create towering pyrocumulus clouds|agency=CNN|publisher=Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc|accessdate=May 8, 2016|date=May 6, 2016|author=Jones Judson|author2=Miller Branson}}</ref> The fires became large enough to create a [[firestorm]], creating its own weather in the form of wind influxes and lightning.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/canada-fire-fort-mcmurray-resident-calls-alberta-firestorm-armageddon-1558885|title=Canada fire: Fort McMurray resident calls the Alberta firestorm 'Armageddon'|author=Zairah Khurshid|work=International Business Times UK|accessdate=May 8, 2016}}</ref> |
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[[File:WILDFIRE SPREADS IN FORT MCMURRAY.jpg|thumb|right|Satellite imagery of the burn scar left by the wildfire on May 4, 2016]] |
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The fire continued to spread south on May 5 across {{convert|85000|ha|acre}} and forcing additional evacuations in the communities of [[Anzac, Alberta|Anzac]], [[Gregoire Lake Estates]] and the [[Fort McMurray First Nation]]. These communities had accepted over 8,000 people during the initial evacuations.<ref name="North fly out" /><ref name="spread south May 5" /><ref name="AB update May 5">{{cite web |url=http://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=41701E7ECBE35-AD48-5793-1642C499FF0DE4CF |title=Update 2: Fort McMurray Wildfire (May 5 at 10 am) |date=May 5, 2016 |publisher=Government of Alberta |accessdate=May 5, 2016}}</ref> The Government of Alberta announced a plan to airlift approximately 8,000 of 25,000 people who had evacuated to oil sands work camps north of Fort McMurray, with assistance from a [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules|Hercules]] aircraft, and other planes owned by energy companies operating in the oil sands. Government officials would also examine the potential for evacuations via Highway 63 during a flyover.<ref name="North fly out" /> 1,100 personnel, 45 [[helicopter]]s, 138 pieces of heavy equipment and 22 [[air tanker]]s were being employed to fight the fire.<ref name="AB update May 5"/> |
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On May 6, the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] began leading convoys to move 1,500 vehicles from oil sand work camps north of Fort McMurray, south along Highway 63 to [[Edmonton]].<ref name="Convoys May 6">{{cite web |title='The beast is still up': Wildfire evacuees stuck north of Fort McMurray moving south in massive RCMP convoy |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/the-beast-is-still-up-wildfire-evacuees-stuck-north-of-fort-mcmurray-moving-south-in-massive-rcmp-convoy |accessdate=May 6, 2016 |work=National Post |date=May 6, 2016}}</ref> The fire continued to grow out of control, spreading to {{convert|100000|ha|acre}} by May 6,<ref name="Convoys May 6" /><ref name="Growth to 100000">{{cite web |title=Fort McMurray wildfire continues to grow out of control |url=http://www.news1130.com/2016/05/06/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-continues-to-grow-out-of-control/ |accessdate=May 6, 2016 |work=News 1130 |date=May 6, 2016}}</ref> and {{convert|156000|ha|acre}} by May 7.<ref>{{cite news|last1=McConnell|first1=Rick|title=Fort McMurray wildfire could reach Suncor oilsands site today|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-saturday-1.3571678|website=CBC News|date=May 7, 2016|accessdate=May 7, 2016}}</ref> As the fire grew to the northeast, the community of [[Fort McKay]], which hosted 5,000 evacuees from Fort McMurray, was itself put under an evacuation notice. The fire was anticipated to double in size, and reach the [[Saskatchewan]] border to the east.<ref name="Voluntary Evacuation">{{cite news|last1=Bird|first1=Cullen|title=Fort McKay under voluntary evacuation order as wildfire size expected to double |url=http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/2016/05/07/fort-mckay-under-voluntary-evacuation-order-as-wildfire-size-expected-to-double|accessdate=May 7, 2016|agency=Fort McMurray Today|publisher=Postmedia Network|date=May 7, 2016}}</ref><ref name="FortMacKayevc">{{cite news|title=Fort McKay First Nation welcomed 5,000 people at wildfire evacuation's peak|url=http://aptn.ca/news/2016/05/06/fort-mckay-first-nation-welcomed-5000-people-at-wildfire-evacuations-peak/|accessdate=May 7, 2016|date=May 7, 2016|agency=Aboriginal Peoples Television Network|publisher=Aboriginal Peoples Television Network}}</ref> |
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The wildfire continued to spread through remote forested areas in the following week, reaching oilsand work camps south of Fort MacKay, forcing the evacuation of 19 oil sites and camps with approximately 8,000 workers. One lodge with 665 units was destroyed.<ref name="Camps burn May 16">{{cite news|title=Fort McMurray fire sweeps east through northern oilsands sites|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-oilsands-sites-fire-1.3585921|accessdate=May 17, 2016|publisher=CBC News|date=May 17, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Reuters oilsand shut cost">{{cite news |url=http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKCN0Y71ZT?sp=true |title=Canadian wildfire shifts north, prolonging oil sands shutdown |date=May 17, 2016 |publisher=Reuters Canada |accessdate=May 17, 2016 }}</ref> The fire continued to grow, from {{convert|285,000|ha|acre}} on May 16 to {{convert|504443|ha|acre}} on May 21 and even spread across {{convert|741|ha|acre}} in Saskatchewan.<ref name="Re-entry June">{{cite news|title=Fort McMurray announces re-entry schedule, evacuation lifted on some oilsands camps|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-reentry-1.3594189|accessdate=May 22, 2016|agency=CBC News Edmonton|publisher=CBC/Radio Canada|date=May 21, 2016}}</ref> While the fire moved away from Fort McMurray, two explosions and poor air quality continued to prevent residents and rebuilding crews from returning to the town.<ref name="Town explosions May 16">{{cite news|title=Wildfire heads towards oil plants as explosions hit Fort McMurray sites|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/05/17/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-forces-oil-industry-workers-to-evacuate.html |accessdate=May 17, 2016 |publisher=Toronto Star |date=May 17, 2016}}</ref> By May 18, the fire had grown to {{convert|423000|ha|acre}} and expanded into Saskatchewan.<ref name="cbcMay18">{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-1.3587320 |title=Fort McMurray fire grows to 423,000 hectares, continues to threaten oilsands sites |publisher=[[CBC News]] |date=May 18, 2016 |accessdate=May 18, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Canadian Wildland Fire Information System |url=http://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/interactive-map?zoom=9&lon=-902990.75370526&lat=931229.14058237&month=05&day=18&year=2016#wb-cont |accessdate=May 19, 2016 |publisher=[[Natural Resources Canada]] |date=May 18, 2016}}</ref> By mid-June, rain and cooler temperatures helped firefighters contain the fire, and on July 4, 2016, the fire was declared under control.<ref name="Under control" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-mostly-contained-1.3632949 |title=Fort McMurray fire largely contained thanks to rain, firefighters' efforts |first=Wallis |last=Snowdon |publisher=[[CBC News]] |date=2016-06-13 |accessdate=2016-06-13}}</ref> The wildfire is expected to take months to extinguish,<ref name="extinguishmonths">{{cite news|title=Blaze will take months to extinguish, Alberta fire official says|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/blaze-will-take-months-to-extinguish-alberta-fire-official-says/article29933091/|accessdate=May 8, 2016|agency=The Globe and Mail|publisher=The Globe and Mail Inc.|date=May 7, 2016|quote='It's going to take quite a while for the wildfire fighters to actually get that under control, contain it, put it out,' Scott Long, executive provincial operations director for the Alberta Emergency Management Agency}}</ref> while it is expected to burn underground throughout the winter.<ref name="Underground">{{cite news|last1=McDermott|first1=Vincent|title=Fort McMurray wildfire under control, but will smoulder underground during the winter|url=http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/2016/10/27/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-under-control-but-will-smoulder-underground-during-the-winterhttp://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/2016/10/27/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-under-control-but-will-smoulder-underground-during-the-winter|accessdate=November 5, 2016|agency=Fort McMurray Today|publisher=Sun Media Community Newspapers|date=October 27, 2016}}</ref> |
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== Response and aid == |
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[[File:Premier talks Fort McMurray at Western Premiers' Conference kick-off.webm|thumb|[[British Columbia|BC]] government reply]] |
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[[File:Alberta Sheriff.jpg|thumb|[[Alberta Sheriffs]] were deployed to assist the response effort]] |
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The Government of Alberta declared a provincial state of emergency for Fort McMurray and issued a formal request for assistance from the [[Canadian Armed Forces]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/evacuation-order-expanded-ahead-of-fort-mcmurray-fire-1.2887111|title=Fort McMurray fire: State of emergency declared |last=Dehaas |first=Josh |date=May 4, 2016 |publisher=CTV News |accessdate=May 4, 2016 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Military air assets preparing to head to Fort McMurray: source |url=http://ipolitics.ca/2016/05/04/military-air-assets-preparing-to-head-to-fort-mcmurray-source/ |accessdate=May 4, 2016|work=iPolitics |date=May 5, 2016}}</ref> The government and the [[Department of National Defence (Canada)|Department of National Defence]] signed a [[memorandum]] of understanding on May 4, detailing required assistance and use of helicopters for rescue operations.<ref name="largestAB" /> Shortly after, a [[CC-130 Hercules]] departed [[CFB Trenton]] and helicopters were dispatched to the affected area.<ref name="CBCTrudeauResponse">{{cite news|last1=Mas|first1=Susana|title=Trudeau says Canadians are united around Fort McMurray as federal response gets underway|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-government-responds-fort-mcmurray-wildfires-1.3565723|accessdate=May 4, 2016|agency=[[CBC News]]|date=May 4, 2016}}</ref> Alberta also requested assistance from the [[Government of Ontario]], and Ontario committed to sending 100 firefighters and 19 supervisory staff, coordinated through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.<ref name="largestAB" /> Other provinces across the country offered support.<ref name="CBCTrudeauResponse" /> On May 5, four [[CL-415]] [[water bombers]] from [[Quebec]]'s SOPFEU ([[:fr:Société de protection des forêts contre le feu|fr]]) took off from the province to aid in the firefighting effort.<ref>{{cite news|title=Four water bombers heading to Alberta|url=http://ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/quebec/2016/05/05/001-avions-cl-415-renfort-alberta-feux-foret.shtml|accessdate=May 5, 2016|agency=[[Radio-Canada]]|language=French|date=May 5, 2016}}</ref> [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] coordinated and provided the bulk of the security response with assistance from both Alberta Fish and Wildlife and the [[Alberta Sheriffs Branch]]. |
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Australia, [[Israel]], [[Mexico]], the [[Palestinian National Authority|Palestinian Authority]], Russia, the [[Taiwan|Republic of China]], and the United States offered international assistance in battling the fire, though the offers were turned down by Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]]. Trudeau said that while the offers were appreciated, they were unnecessary as firefighters from other Canadian provinces were gaining control of the situation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Russian offer to send water bombers to fight Fort McMurray fire in limbo|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/russia-water-bombers-alberta-wildfires-1.3572825|website=CBC|accessdate=May 8, 2016|language=en-US|date=May 8, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/justin-trudeau-turns-down-russian-u-s-mexican-offers-to-help-fight-fort-mac-wildfire|title=Justin Trudeau turns down Russian, U.S., Mexican offers to help fight Fort Mac wildfire|work=National Post|date=May 9, 2016|accessdate=May 9, 2016}}</ref> South Africa sent 301 firefighters at the request of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre at the end of May.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2016/05/26/South-African-firefighters-prep-for-Canada-in-their-biggest-international-deployment-yet|title=South African firefighters prep for Canada in their biggest international deployment yet|work=Times Live|date=May 26, 2016|accessdate=June 2, 2016}}</ref> The firefighters were trained during the month of April at a boot camp, in order how to learn to use special hoses instead of the leather padded wooden sticks known as "firebeaters" they typically use in their home country due to a lack of water.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/300-south-african-firefighters-are-trained-and-headed-to-fort-mcmurray/article30197182/|title=300 South African firefighters are trained and headed to Fort McMurray|work=The Globe and Mail|date=May 28, 2016|accessdate=June 2, 2016|first=Geoffrey|last=York}}</ref> Less than a week after being deployed the South Africans went on strike over a wage dispute and were demobilized. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley vowed to address the issue and ensure that the firefighters were paid a minimum of {{dollarsign|CAD}}11.20 per hour as required by the province's labour laws, rather than the {{dollarsign|CAD}}15 per day allowance specified in their contract with their South African employer.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/south-african-firefighters-in-alberta-to-be-demobilized-over-pay-dispute/article30363833/ |title=Notley says South African firefighters’ low wages are ‘not acceptable’ |publisher=The Globe and Mail |date=2016-05-30 |accessdate=2016-06-10}}</ref> |
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The Alberta government is providing an initial $1,250 per adult and $500 per dependent to cover living expenses for those who have evacuated.<ref>{{cite web|title=Here's our list of resources for Fort McMurray wildfire evacuees and how you can help|url=http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/how-yiou-can-help-the-evacuees-from-the-fort-mcmurray-wildfires|website=Edmonton Journal|accessdate=May 7, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507221623/http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/how-yiou-can-help-the-evacuees-from-the-fort-mcmurray-wildfires|archivedate=May 7, 2016|language=en-US|date=May 7, 2016}}</ref> On May 4, the provincial government committed to match donations made to the [[Canadian Red Cross]], as well as to donate an additional $2 million as seed money;<ref name="MatchRedCross">{{cite web|title=Alberta Government matching Red Cross donations for Fort McMurray|url=http://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=41703E9EE402E-957B-30FA-5FC5EBFF81EA78B9|website=Alberta.ca|publisher=Alberta Government|accessdate=May 5, 2016}}</ref> the federal government pledged to match all donations to the Canadian Red Cross the next day,<ref name="North fly out" /> with a deadline set to May 31. {{As of|2016|05|09|alt=As of May 9}}, $54 million has been donated to the Red Cross, not including matching government contributions.<ref name="54Million">{{cite news|title=Fort McMurray relief donations hit $54M: Red Cross|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/fort-mcmurray-relief-donations-hit-54m-red-cross-1.2894442?autoPlay=true|accessdate=May 10, 2016|work=CTV News|date=May 9, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510220631/http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/fort-mcmurray-relief-donations-hit-54m-red-cross-1.2894442?autoPlay=true|archivedate=May 10, 2016}}</ref> |
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On May 4, [[Public Safety Canada]] activated the [[International Charter Space and Major Disasters]], thus providing for the charitable and humanitarian re-tasking of the diverse [[satellite]] assets of fifteen [[space agency|space agencies]].<ref name="International Charter on Space and Major Disasters">{{cite web | url=https://www.disasterscharter.org/web/guest/-/fire-in-canada?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.disasterscharter.org%2Fweb%2Fguest%2Fhome%3Fp_p_id%3D101_INSTANCE_F1SeOJT57fTb%26p_p_lifecycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%26p_p_mode%3Dview%26p_p_col_id%3Dcolumn-1%26p_p_col_pos%3D2%26p_p_col_count%3D4 | title=Latest Activation: Fire in Canada | publisher=International Charter Space and Major Disasters | date=May 4, 2016 | accessdate=May 6, 2016}}</ref> Later, Edmonton's Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC), along with the City of Edmonton, the Alberta Residential Landlord Association, and Yardi Canada Ltd., announced a partnership to create a registry of rental properties for Fort McMurray evacuees.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/new-housing-registry-opens-for-fort-mcmurray-evacuees-1.3584689|title=New housing registry opens for Fort McMurray evacuees|work=CBC News|date=May 16, 2016|accessdate=May 20, 2016|first=Lydia|last=Neufield}}</ref> The non-profit initiative will offer this service free of charge to landlords for the next six months. Some landlords have offered incentives to wildfire evacuees, including reduced security deposits, reduced rent, or a couple months free rent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rentcafe.com/canada/fortmcmurraywildfires|title=The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray) Fire Displacement|work=RENTCafé|accessdate=May 20, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/2704158/edmonton-launches-online-housing-registry-for-fort-mcmurray-wildfire-evacuees/|title=Edmonton launches online housing registry for Fort McMurray wildfire evacuees|last=Ramsay|first=Caley|work=Global News|date=May 16, 2016|accessdate=May 20, 2016}}</ref> |
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Fort McMurray on May 13 to survey the damage and promised ongoing aid from the federal government in the coming months.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ellwand|first1=Otiena|title=Justin Trudeau says Canadians have yet to grasp the 'amazing' work that saved Fort McMurray|url=http://edmontonjournal.com/news/national/prime-minister-trudeau-sweeps-into-wildfire-scarred-fort-mcmurray|accessdate=May 15, 2016|work=Edmonton Journal|date=May 14, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160515022018/http://edmontonjournal.com/news/national/prime-minister-trudeau-sweeps-into-wildfire-scarred-fort-mcmurray|archivedate=May 15, 2016|language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]], [[David Johnston]], and [[Sophie, Countess of Wessex]], met with first responders and visited the ruins of the Beacon Hill neighbourhood of Fort McMurray on June 24, 2016.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/countess-of-wessex-governor-general-to-visit-fort-mcmurray/article30571307/| author=The Canadian Press| title=Countess of Wessex, Governor General to visit Fort McMurray| date=June 23, 2016| newspaper=The Globe and Mail| accessdate=June 24, 2016}}</ref> |
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A benefit concert, Fire Aid for Fort McMurray, is set to be held in Edmonton at [[Commonwealth Stadium (Edmonton)|Commonwealth Stadium]] on June 29 to raise funds for Fort McMurray residents, with funds going to [[Fort McMurray United Way]]. The lineup includes the Albertan artists [[Nickelback]], [[Ian Tyson]], and [[Corb Lund]], as well as Canadian artists [[Blue Rodeo]] and [[Dean Brody]], among others.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Griwkowsky|first1=Fish|title=Nickelback to headline Fort McMurray 'Fire Aid' benefit concert at Commonwealth June 29|url=http://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/music/fort-mcmurray-fire-aid-benefit-concert-at-commonwealth-june-29|accessdate=May 27, 2016|work=Edmonton Journal|date=May 26, 2016|ref=FireAidNickleback|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527000521/http://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/music/fort-mcmurray-fire-aid-benefit-concert-at-commonwealth-june-29|archivedate=May 27, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Lamoureux|first1=Mack|title='Alberta is home for us': Homegrown acts like Nickelback line up to play Fire Aid|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/nickelback-corb-lund-ian-tyson-line-up-to-play-fire-aid-for-fort-mcmurray-1.3601540|accessdate=May 27, 2016|work=CBC News|date=May 26, 2016|publisher=CBC|ref=FireAidCBC|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527001501/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/nickelback-corb-lund-ian-tyson-line-up-to-play-fire-aid-for-fort-mcmurray-1.3601540|archivedate=May 27, 2016}}</ref> [[WWE]] professional wrestlers [[Kevin Owens]] and [[Tyler Breeze]], both of whom were born in Canada, set up a [[GoFundMe]] campaign to raise money for the Canadian Red Cross.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/article/kevin-owens-tyler-breeze-fort-mcmurray-wildfire-fundraiser|title=Kevin Owens and Tyler Breeze team up to raise money for Fort McMurray fire victims|work=WWE|date=May 10, 2016|accessdate=May 28, 2016|first=Bobby|last=Melok|first2=Dustin|last2=Wallace}}</ref> The campaign was initially set at a goal of $30,000, but this was later raised to over $70,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gofundme.com/22vqm7w|title=Help for the Alberta fires victims|work=GoFundMe|accessdate=May 28, 2016|first=Kevin|last=Owens|first2=Tyler|last2=Breeze|authorlink=Kevin Owens|authorlink2=Tyler Breeze}}</ref> |
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On June 14, 2016, the Government of Alberta announced its partnership with the [http://www.adra.ca Adventist Development and Relief Agency of Canada] (ADRA Canada) in opening the Alberta Wildfire Donation Centre. <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=4291821B5463C-0542-7C7A-5D368A9FCFB4A9B0|title=Government implements provincially co-ordinated donation strategy to support Fort McMurray families {{!}} Alberta.ca|last=Alberta|first=Government of|website=www.alberta.ca|access-date=2016-10-24}}</ref> ADRA Canada accepted the responsibility of managing all material donations for Fort McMurray. Their contract with the provincial government is for the duration of six months, ending on November 30, 2016. Throughout this contract, ADRA Canada would accept all material donations, sorting through donations and preparing them for shipment to distribution centres in Fort McMurray for residents to access. |
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== Cause and contributing factors == |
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An official cause of the fire has not been determined to date, but it is suspected to be human caused, starting in a remote area {{convert|15|km|mi}} from Fort McMurray.<ref name="North fly out" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Fort McMurray wildfire "most likely" result of human activity: RCMP|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-likely-result-of-human-activity-rcmp-1.2946737|accessdate=June 15, 2016|publisher=CTV|date=June 15, 2016}}</ref> |
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During the start of the fire, an unusually hot, dry air mass was in place over [[Northern Alberta]], which brought record-setting temperatures to Fort McMurray. On May 3, the temperature climbed to {{convert|32.8|C|0}},<ref name="Fort McMurray CS">{{cite web |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=1999-09-18%7C2016-05-12&dlyRange=1996-05-01%7C2016-05-12&mlyRange=1996-05-01%7C2007-11-01&StationID=27216&Prov=AB&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=3&searchMethod=contains&Month=5&Day=13&txtStationName=fort+mcmurray&timeframe=2&Year=2016 |title=Daily Data Report for May 2016 |accessdate=May 6, 2016 |publisher=[[Environment Canada]] |date=May 6, 2016}}</ref> accompanied by [[relative humidity]] as low as 12%.<ref name="May 3, 2016">{{cite web |title=Hourly Data Report for May 03, 2016 |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/hourly_data_e.html?hlyRange=1999-09-18%7C2016-05-12&dlyRange=1996-05-01%7C2016-05-12&mlyRange=1996-05-01%7C2007-11-01&StationID=27216&Prov=AB&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=3&searchMethod=contains&Month=5&Day=3&txtStationName=fort+mcmurray&timeframe=1&Year=2016 |accessdate=May 6, 2016 |publisher=[[Environment Canada]] |date=May 6, 2016}}</ref> The situation intensified on May 4 when temperatures reached {{convert|31.9|C|0}}<ref name="Fort McMurray CS"/> and winds gusted to 72 km/h (45 mph).<ref name="Fort McMurray A">{{cite web |title=Daily Data Report for May 2016 |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=2011-10-17%7C2016-05-12&dlyRange=2011-10-20%7C2016-05-12&mlyRange=%7C&StationID=49490&Prov=AB&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=1&searchMethod=contains&Month=5&Day=13&txtStationName=fort+mcmurray&timeframe=2&Year=2016 |accessdate=May 6, 2016 |publisher=[[Environment Canada]] |date=May 6, 2016}}</ref> This significantly contributed to the fire's rapid growth.<ref name="largestAB" /> The winter preceding the fires was drier than usual, leaving a paltry snowpack, which melted quickly. Combined with the high temperatures, this created a "[[perfect storm]]" of conditions for an explosive wildfire.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McGrath |first1=Matt |title='Perfect storm' of El Niño and warming boosted Alberta fires |url=http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36212145 |accessdate=May 7, 2016 |work=[[BBC News]] |agency=[[BBC]] |date=May 5, 2016}}</ref><ref name=ClimateCentral>{{cite news |last1=Kahn |first1=Brian |title=Here's the Climate Context For the Fort McMurray Wildfire |work=[[Climate Central]] |url=http://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-context-fort-mcmurray-wildfire-20311 |accessdate=May 7, 2016 |date=May 4, 2016}}</ref> |
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Daniel Thompson, a fire research scientist with [[Natural Resources Canada]] in Edmonton, told [[Bloomberg News]] that the natural [[El Niño]] cycle led to a dry fall and winter season along with a warm spring. The weather condition affects fires in a number of regions including Indonesia and northwest United States and Canada. Similar events occurred in 1997–1998.<ref>{{cite web | work=Bloomberg News | title=El Nino Added to Alberta's Fire Woes Before Fort McMurray Burned | url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-05/el-nino-added-to-alberta-s-fire-woes-before-fort-mcmurray-burned | date=May 5, 2016 | first=Brian K. | last=Sullivan}}</ref> Fire is a natural and necessary component of [[Taiga#Fire|boreal forest]] ecosystems. |
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Controversy arose over the discussion that [[climate change]] is among the factors causing the fire, particularly given the role that Fort McMurray plays in Alberta's [[oil sands]] industry. Some have called it "insensitive" to discuss [[global warming]] at such a time, while others have argued that this crisis makes it "more important" to talk about a correlation between human-influenced climate change and wildfires.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Holthaus |first1=Eric |title=We Need to Talk About Climate Change |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |date=May 6, 2016 |url= http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2016/05/the_mcmurray_fire_is_worse_because_of_climate_change_and_we_need_to_talk.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_bot |accessdate=May 7, 2016}}</ref> Canada's politicians and scientists have both cautioned that individual fires cannot specifically be linked to climate change, but agree that it is part of a general trend of more intense wildfires.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/elizabeth-may-fort-mcmurray-climate-change-1.3566126 |title='Of course' Fort McMurray fire linked to climate change, Elizabeth May says |last=Tasker |first=John |publisher=CBC News |date=May 4, 2016 |accessdate=May 7, 2016}}</ref> |
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== Damage and other impacts == |
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| footer = Satellite images of the fire at day (May 3, 2016) overnight (May 5, 2016), and its smoke impacts across North America. |
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[[File:Smoke and fire from Fort McMurray wildfire, from plane's view.jpg|thumb|Aerial view]] |
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=== Communities and infrastructure === |
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[[File:Super 8 motel Fort McMurray may 4 2016.jpg|thumb|Super 8 motel destroyed by the fire]] |
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Initial estimates from May 4 indicated that 1,600 structures in Fort McMurray were destroyed. Firefighters worked through May 6 and 7 to hold the line and protect the downtown and remaining homes in Fort McMurray. Damages occurred to the town's power grid.<ref name="Sask Border">{{cite news |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/growing-fort-mcmurray-wildfire-could-double-in-size-today-and-reach-the-saskatchewan-border |title=Growing Fort McMurray wildfire could double in size and reach Saskatchewan border |date=May 7, 2016 |publisher=National Post |accessdate=May 7, 2016}}</ref> On May 9, this figure was revised to 2,400 structures, and about 85 to 90 percent of the community was reported undamaged.<ref name=CBCstillalive>{{cite news|last=McConnell |first=Rick |title=Fort McMurray is 'still alive,' fire chief says – but safety concerns linger |date=May 9, 2016 |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-tour-notley-media-1.3572982 |website=CBC News |access-date=May 10, 2016}}</ref> Overnight on May 16–17, two explosions occurred in the Thickwood and Dickensfield neighbourhoods, damaging ten buildings and destroying three.<ref name="Explosions">{{cite web|last1=Johnston|first1=Scott|title=UPDATED – Explosions damage and destroy Fort McMurray homes|url=http://www.630ched.com/2016/05/17/explosions-damage-and-destroy-fort-mcmurray-homes/|publisher=Corus Entertainment Inc.|accessdate=May 19, 2016|date=May 17, 2016}}</ref> |
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{{As of|alt=As of 11:55 a.m. [[Mountain Time|MDT]] on May 6|2016|05|06}}, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo had reported the following damage to Fort McMurray's neighbourhoods and nearby communities:<ref name="Wood Buffalo Update " /> |
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* [[Anzac, Alberta|Anzac]] – 12 structures lost in the hamlet approximately {{convert|36|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the southeast |
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* [[Fort McMurray International Airport|Airport]] – minor damage to outer structures, primary infrastructures intact |
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* Abasand – 50 percent loss of homes |
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* Beacon Hill – 70 percent loss of homes |
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* Dickinsfield – Two houses lost |
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* Downtown – One house lost |
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* [[Draper, Alberta|Draper]] – Damage under assessment in this community adjacent to Fort McMurray |
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* Grayling Terrace – Four houses lost and six damaged |
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* Gregoire – Centennial Trailer Park, Super 8 Hotel, Government of Alberta bunkhouse, and Metis Local 408 lost |
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* North Parsons – Unfinished school lost |
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* Saline Creek – Unaffected |
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* [[Saprae Creek]] – approximately 30 percent of this hamlet, {{convert|11|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the east, has experienced significant damage |
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* Stone Creek – active fire zone |
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* Oil sands – Active fire zone with destruction of one of the workers camp |
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* Timberlea – 13 trailers lost |
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** Blackburn Drive – Three structure fires |
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** Walnut Crescent – approximately 15 structure fires |
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** Stone Creek - approximately 225 homes lost |
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* Thickwood – One house lost, Two town homes lost |
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* [[Waterways, Alberta|Waterways]] – 90 percent loss of homes |
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* Wood Buffalo – Estimated 100 homes lost |
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As of May 18, assessment of the damage to the community found that of 19,244 structures assessed, 1,921 were destroyed, 17,156 were approved for occupation, 121 were limited to restricted use, 39 were unsafe to occupy, and 7 were still to be inspected.<ref name="GovARe-entry" /> |
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Because the water treatment workers pumped untreated water into the municipal water system in order to supply firefighters with enough water to do their jobs, almost the entire Fort McMurray area remained under a [[boil-water advisory]] as of June 6.<ref name="water-treatment-plant" /> The advisory had been lifted for the lower Fort McMurray townsite on June 4; most of the rest of the area would see the advisory lifted in the following weeks:<ref name="Boil advisory status">{{cite web|url=http://www.rmwb.ca/News-Room/RMWB-Wildfire-Information/Status--Boil-Water-Advisory.htm |title=RMWB Wildfire Recovery Information: Boil-Water Advisory Status |publisher=Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo |accessdate=August 12, 2016}}</ref> |
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* June 10: Grayling Terrace |
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* June 16: Thickwood, Wood Buffalo, Dickinsfield, Timberlea, Stone Creek, Parsons Creek North |
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* June 30: Gregoire, Mackenzie Park, Prairie Creek Residential, Saline Creek, Saline Plateau, Airport Lands, Saprae Creek Estates |
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* July 15: Anzac, Anzac Truckfill, Fort McMurray No. 468 First Nation, Gregoire Lake Estates |
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As of August 17, the boil water advisory has been lifted in all areas serviced by the Fort McMurray water treatment plant. The areas of Abasand, Beacon Hill and Waterways were the last neighbourhoods with a boil water advisory in effect, and although it had been lifted, those neighbourhoods do not have active water service due to damages.<ref name="Boil advisory status"/> |
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=== Oil sands operations === |
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The wildfire also halted [[Athabasca oil sands|oil sands]] production at facilities north of Fort McMurray. [[Shell Canada]] shut down output at its [[Albian Sands]] mining operation, located about 70 kilometres north of Fort McMurray. The company said its priority was to get employees and their families out of the region, and provide capacity at its work camp for some of the evacuees. Shell also provided its landing strip to fly employees and their families to Calgary or Edmonton and has provided two teams to support firefighting efforts in the area.<ref name="Oilsands scaledown">{{cite news |url=http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/wildfire+forces+shell+canada+shut+down+oilsands+mining+project/11895999/story.html |title=Wildfire forces heart of Canada's oilsands to scale back production |date=May 3, 2016 |publisher=Montreal Gazette |accessdate=May 5, 2016 }}</ref> |
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[[Suncor Energy]] and [[Syncrude Canada]] also scaled back operations. Suncor's Millennium and North Steepbank mines are two of the largest and oldest oilsands mining operations in the Fort McMurray area, and Syncrude's Mildred Lake oilsands mine is located 35 kilometres north of Fort McMurray. The companies have accommodated another 2,000 evacuees each at their work camps.<ref name="Oilsands scaledown" /> On May 7, Syncrude shut down all site and processing operations, removing 4,800 employees from the area. A quarter of Canada's oil production, equal to approximately one million barrels of oil a day, was halted as a result of the fire.<ref name="SyncrudeShutdown" /> The lost output is estimated to cost the Albertan economy $70 million per day, and was a contributing factor to rises in global oil prices.<ref name="Reuters oilsand shut cost" /> The scaled back operations, along with a refinery outage in Edmonton, caused many gas stations to run out of gas throughout [[Western Canada]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Weld|first1=Carmen|title=Don't panic, there is gas|url=http://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/167613/Don-t-panic-there-is-gas|accessdate=June 20, 2016|work=Castanet|date=June 7, 2016}}</ref> |
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On May 16, all 665 rooms at Blacksands Executive Lodge, a work camp, burned in the wildfire. Earlier that day, about 8,000 people were ordered out of 19 camps; about 6,000 remained. By May 17, the fire appeared to reach the Noralta Lodge, a few kilometres east of Blacksands.<ref name="Noreltalodge">{{cite news|title=Fort McMurray fire sweeps east through northern oilsands sites|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-oilsands-sites-fire-1.3585921|accessdate=May 19, 2016|agency=CBC News|publisher=CBC/Radio-Canada|date=May 17, 2016}}</ref> |
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=== Financial === |
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Initial insurance payouts are estimated to total as much as [[Canadian dollar|CAN$]]9 billion if the entire community has to be rebuilt.<ref name="Insurance estimates" /> Insured damage was estimated to have reached $3.58 billion as of July 7, 2016, making the wildfire the most expensive disaster in Canadian history, surpassing the [[January 1998 North American ice storm|1998 ice storms in Quebec]] ($1.9 billion) and the [[2013 Alberta floods]] ($1.8 billion).<ref name="DamageCost" /><ref name="Insurance estimates" /> The [[2011 Slave Lake wildfire]], which destroyed one-third of the town of [[Slave Lake]], cost approximately $750 million and was the most expensive fire-related disaster in Canadian history. The larger damage estimates are a result of Fort McMurray being 10 times the size of Slave Lake.<ref name="Insurance estimates" /> A further estimate based on current damage estimated insurance payouts reaching as high as $4.7 billion.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://edmontonjournal.com/business/local-business/insurance-losses-from-fort-mcmurray-fire-could-top-9-billion-analyst-says |title=Insurance losses from Fort McMurray fire could top $9 billion, analyst says |date=May 5, 2016 |publisher=''[[Edmonton Journal]]'' |accessdate=May 5, 2016 }}</ref> |
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=== Census enumeration === |
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[[Statistics Canada]] suspended enumeration activities for the [[Canada 2016 Census|2016 Census]] in the Fort McMurray area on May 5. Alternative means to collect data from its residents were to be determined at a later date.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.census.gc.ca/ccr16_r004-eng.html#a01 | title=Statistics Canada suspends Census collection in Fort McMurray area | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=May 5, 2016 | accessdate=May 6, 2016}}</ref> Shortly after re-entry, residents were encouraged to complete their census form online or over the phone; however door-to-door enumeration continues to be suspended.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.census.gc.ca/ccr16_r004-eng.html#a03 | title=Update on Census collection in the Fort McMurray area | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=June 17, 2016 | accessdate=July 2, 2016}}</ref> |
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== Residential re-entry == |
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On May 18, the Alberta government provisionally announced a phased re-entry of residents into Fort McMurray starting on June 1 and ending by June 15, given that a set of key conditions is met, including: that the wildfire no longer poses a threat and that hazardous areas can be secured; that local government can be re-established; and that essential services such as emergency services, transportation, utilities and essential businesses can be re-established, as well as the infrastructure that supports these services.<ref name="GovARe-entry">{{cite web|title=Phased re-entry into Fort McMurray expected to start June 1|url=http://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=41776B85DAE7F-C0F6-C84E-6D5B0D3C26C65211|publisher=Government of Alberta|date=May 18, 2016|accessdate=May 21, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160521010210/http://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=41776B85DAE7F-C0F6-C84E-6D5B0D3C26C65211|archivedate=May 21, 2016}}</ref><ref name="smokeDrift">{{cite news|title=As smoke drifts away, Fort McMurray hard at work on re-entry plans|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/rain-and-less-smoke-keep-fort-mcmurray-re-entry-plan-on-schedule-1.3590234|date=May 19, 2016|accessdate=May 21, 2016|work=CBC News|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160521192811/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/rain-and-less-smoke-keep-fort-mcmurray-re-entry-plan-on-schedule-1.3590234|archivedate=May 21, 2016|first=Rick|last=McConnell}}</ref><ref name="Maclean'sRe-entry">{{cite news|title=Re-entry day: What Fort McMurray will look like on June 1|url=http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/re-entry-day-what-fort-mcmurray-will-look-like-on-june-1/|accessdate=May 21, 2016|work=Maclean's|date=May 18, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160521193547/http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/re-entry-day-what-fort-mcmurray-will-look-like-on-june-1/|archivedate=May 21, 2016|first=Jason|last=Markusoff}}</ref> Some undamaged homes were declared unsafe for reoccupation, due to contamination from arsenic and heavy metals.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/hundreds-of-undamaged-fort-mcmurray-homes-declared-unsafe-due-to-toxic-ash-1.3607928 |title=Hundreds of undamaged Fort McMurray homes declared unsafe due to toxic ash |publisher=[[CBC News]] |date=May 30, 2016 |accessdate=May 30, 2016}}</ref> |
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===Schedule=== |
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Residents were allowed to re-enter Fort McMurray and surrounding communities according to a schedule broken down into residential zones. These zones are:<ref name="ABRP">{{cite web|title=Conditional re-entry timeline|url=http://www.alberta.ca/emergency.cfm#reentry|website=Alberta|publisher=Government of Alberta|accessdate=May 28, 2016|date=May 27, 2016}}</ref> |
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*Zone 1 (June 1) – Lower Townsite, Anzac, [[Fort McMurray First Nation|Fort McMurray 468 First Nation]], Gregoire Lake Estates |
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*Zone 2 (June 2) – Parsons Creek, Stone Creek, Timberlea, Eagle Ridge, Dickensfield |
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*Zone 3 (June 3) – Thickwood, Wood Buffalo |
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*Zone 4(a) (June 3) – Gregoire, Prairie Creek, Saprae Creek Estates |
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*Zone 4(b) (June 4) – Grayling Terrace, Draper<ref name="GovARe-entry" /><ref name="ABRP"/><ref name="SyncrudeRe-EntryLetter">{{cite web|title=Fort McMurray re-entry plans and Syncrude return to operations|url=https://syncrudecentral.ca/News/Special_Bulletins/2016/Fort_McMurray_re-entry_plans_and_Syncrude_return_to_operations.aspx|work=Syncrude Central|date=May 20, 2016|accessdate=May 21, 2016|first=Mark|last=Ward}}</ref> |
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**Zone 4(b) Restricted neighbourhoods (Visits only June 8) – Waterways, Abasand, Beacon Hill<ref name="Corus Entertainment Inc.">{{cite news|last1=Mertz|first1=Emily|last2=Kornik|first2=Slav|title=Visits to 3 restricted Fort McMurray neighbourhoods to begin June 8|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/2739317/fort-mcmurray-residents-continue-to-return-as-phased-re-entry-hits-day-3/|accessdate=June 11, 2016|agency=Global News Edmonton|date=June 3, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Notsafe">{{cite news|last1=Mertz|first1=Emily|title=Fort McMurray wildfire: Hundreds of undamaged homes not safe to live in|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/2729767/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-voluntary-re-entry-begins-this-week/|accessdate=June 11, 2016|agency=Global News Edmonton|publisher=Corus Entertainment Inc.|date=May 30, 2016|quote=re-entry Zone 4b communities of Abasand, Beacon Hill and Waterways are not permitted to access their homes on the scheduled re-entry date of June 4.}}</ref> |
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== See also == |
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* [[List of disasters in Canada]] |
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* [[List of fires in Canada]] |
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* [[Boreal forest of Canada]] |
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== References == |
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{{Reflist|30em}} |
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== External links == |
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{{Commons category|2016 Fort McMurray wildfire}} |
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* <!-- DO NOT CHANGE THIS URL AT ALL. Terms of Service MUST STRICTLY BE AGREED!!! ---> [https://cdn.albertamapservices.ca/FortMcMurray/?TermsOfUseRequired=true&Viewer=FortMcMurray Fort McMurray Satellite Map – Alberta Government] |
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* [http://www.alberta.ca/wildfire-recovery.cfm Fort McMurray & the Wood Buffalo Region wildfire recovery – Alberta Government] |
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* [https://www.canada.ca/en/services/policing/alberta-wildfires.html Alberta Wildfires – Government of Canada] |
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* [http://pyrocb.ssec.wisc.edu/archives/1572 Fort McMurray, Alberta wildfire – PyroCb Blog], [[Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies]], [[University of Wisconsin]] |
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* [http://www.google.org/crisismap/2016-fort-mcmurray-fire Google Crisis Map – Fort McMurray Fire 2016] |
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* [http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=56.532228,-110.997620&z=9&t=h,Fire_boundary,MODIS_from_ESRI&q=http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map/Canada/Alberta_wildland_fire.txt Current Alberta Wildland Fires] |
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* MecElhatton, Heather, [http://minnesota.publicradio.org/events/2013/11/a-beautiful-world/volunteer-truckers-of-fort-mcmurray.shtml "Volunteer Truckers Help Save Burning Canadian Town"], ''A Beautiful World''. [[Minnesota Public Radio]]. Story of volunteer truckers delivering food, fuel, and supplies to firefighters and stranded motorists. |
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{{Portal bar|Alberta|Disasters|Fire|2010s}} |
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[[Category:2016 in Alberta]] |
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[[Category:2016 wildfires]] |
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[[Category:Natural disasters in Alberta]] |
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[[Category:Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo]] |
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[[Category:Wildfires in Canada]] |
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[[Category:2016 disasters in Canada]] |
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[[Category:2016 in Saskatchewan]] |
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[[Category:Natural disasters in Saskatchewan]] |
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[[Category:Division No. 18, Saskatchewan]] |
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