Fort McMurray Residents Flee in the Largest Fire Evacuation in Alberta’s History

[Smokin Joe]

http://www.oilandgas360.com/fort-mcmurray-residents-flee-largest-fire-evacuation-albertas-history/?utm_source=Closing+Bell+Report&utm_campaign=15cd07d54c-Closing_Bell_RSS_Campaign&utm_medium=email

Fort McMurray Residents Flee in the Largest Fire Evacuation in Alberta’s History ('Tar sands' area)

Tens of thousands of people have fled north and south.

Fuelled by soaring temperatures that hit 32 C and tinder-dry forest, the fire broached the city limits and by 6:20 p.m. a mandatory evacuation order was issued for the entire city.

“Today has been a devastating day. We have had explosive fire conditions on the landscape brought on by extremely high temperatures” and low relative humidity, Bernie Schmitte, wildfire manager at Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, said Tuesday night during a news conference.

“The fire is still out of control,” Schmitte said. “We have been challenged on many fronts as the fire came through the community. It has entered the community and it has gone through the community.”

Officials have accounted for about 53,000 people, including 17,000 people north of the city, 8,000 in Anzac, 9,000 in Lac La Biche, and 18,000 in Edmonton. Fort McMurray has population of 83,000. “This is not an exact science,” one official said when asked about the discrepancy.

No fatalities or serious injuries have been reported at this time.

Military help has been requested ...

(More at link above)

[Sanguine]

Wow, ~90 degrees!  That's considerably hotter than it's been here in Texas.

[geronl]

Wow, ~90 degrees!  That's considerably hotter than it's been here in Texas.

We got to 89 today here, but its been cool for a few days before that (even cold at night)

[Sanguine]

We got to 89 today here, but its been cool for a few days before that (even cold at night)

We may have here too.  I was chained to my desk all day.

[thackney]

Wow, ~90 degrees!  That's considerably hotter than it's been here in Texas.

If we had been as dry as they have been, for as longs as they have been, we would be in our same fire risk and fighting blazes as well.

For this time of year, that far North, it is really unusual weather.

[thackney]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/tragedy-layered-on-tragedy-girl-15-killed-in-fort-mcmurray-evacuation-1.3569518

The fire in Fort McMurray has forced 80,000 from their homes and still rages on.

Many neighbourhoods are still threatened and the fire is growing, as of Thursday evening the size was estimated to be 85,000 hectares.

Fort McMurray has a population of 83,000.  Reports of no gasoline left in the area everyone is leaving.  210,000 acres burning, the populated area is 12~15,000 acres.

[thackney]

http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/144359/Oil_Up_as_Fire_Curbs_Canada_Output_Higher_Dollar_Stockpiles_Cap_Gains

While the oil sands facilities are mostly to the north of the wildfire in city of Fort McMurray in Alberta that is spreading south, as much as a third of Canada's daily crude capacity has been cut and some major pipelines closed after more evacuations were ordered.

Canada losing 1/3 of their oil output for any significant time is going to impact our oil stock levels in the US.

[Sanguine]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/tragedy-layered-on-tragedy-girl-15-killed-in-fort-mcmurray-evacuation-1.3569518

Fort McMurray has a population of 83,000.  Reports of no gasoline left in the area everyone is leaving.  210,000 acres burning, the populated area is 12~15,000 acres.

Wow.  Scary stuff.

[MajorClay]

http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/144359/Oil_Up_as_Fire_Curbs_Canada_Output_Higher_Dollar_Stockpiles_Cap_Gains

Canada losing 1/3 of their oil output for any significant time is going to impact our oil stock levels in the US.

It may be time to complete a few more wells in Texas. ^-^

[Smokin Joe]

It may be time to complete a few more wells in Texas. ^-^

Or North Dakota and keep the pipelines full (and the trains running on time). 

[Sanguine]

It may be time to complete a few more wells in Texas. ^-^

They're ready to go as soon as the price comes up.

[thackney]

"I do expect that there's a high potential that this fire could double in size by the end of the day tomorrow," Chad Morrison, the senior manager of wildfire prevention at the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Division said Friday afternoon....

Fanned by high winds, scorching heat and low humidity, the fire grew from 29 square miles Tuesday to 39 square miles on Wednesday, but by Thursday it was almost nine times that — at 330 square miles. On Friday, the fire covered 390 square miles, said Alberta Premier Rachel Notley.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-alberta-could-double-size-over-weekend-n569656

[Smokin Joe]

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-alberta-could-double-size-over-weekend-n569656

Fires that size create their own weather. That's huge.