Alberta Premier to visit ‘fire zone’ Monday as thousands stranded get out safe
Posted May 9, 2016 06:44:56 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
FORT MCMURRAY – As the final 25,000 residents have safely fled temporary housing north of Fort McMurray Atla., fire officials said they could spend months dousing a wildfire that prompted the widespread evacuation in the first place.
Slightly cooler weather has helped firefighters with the blaze that ripped through Fort McMurray last Tuesday, prompting the City’s 80,000 residents to flee the area under a mandatory evacuation order.
The wildfire, now burning into its ninth day, is said to have stabilized enough so that Alberta Premier Rachel Notley can visit the scene on Monday.
Thousands of residents remained in oilsands work camps north of Fort McMurray following the fire, after Highway 63, the main road between Fort McMurray and Edmonton, was shut down because of unsafe conditions.
Conditions eased enough over the weekend to allow the remaining residents to flee south to Calgary and Edmonton by car.
Notley said the fight against the fire in Fort McMurray has stabilized enough where she can visit on Monday, to begin the next phase of the government’s operation to determine the extent of the damage.
Crews will now begin examining damage and check on infrastructure like natural gas lines and the power grid, according to officials, who say the power grid did sustain damage.
Notley said water in the city is currently not drinkable and hazardous materials will have to be cleaned up, while the RCMP have reported significant smoke and water damage while checking houses throughout the city.
Fire officials said the fire didn’t grow as much as anticipated over the weekend, but the blaze dubbed “The Beast,” by the local Fire Chief Darby Allen, remains more than 1,600 sq. km. in size.
The fire has now spread to within 40 kilometres of the Saskatchewan-Alberta border and officials said it could be weeks, or even months, before it’s finally out.
With files from The Canadian Press, 660 News
