Ft. McMurray Wildfire Consumes Area Larger Than New York City
The wildfires raging through the Canadian province of Alberta have grown into a monster blaze that has consumed an area larger than New York City so far.
It has burned 328 sqm so far, by comparison, all 5 boroughs of New York City add up to just 304.6 sqm.
The Inferno, which forced the evacuation of the City of Ft McMurray, could spread and devour more territory because conditions are still tinder dry.
“Because so much of this is dependent on the weather … that means that certainty is not a feature of any statements at this point,” said a city official when asked if the worst of the fire was over. “Until we’ve got it under control, it would not be responsible to make any declarations.”
While more than 1,000 firefighters battled out of control blazes, officials declared a state of emergency across the entire Province of Alberta.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told his country’s House of Commons that the government will match all donations to the Red Cross relief effort for the wildfire refugees.
“We will make it through this most difficult time together,” he said.
The wildfiree scapees from the blaze counted their blessings, and fear for the future.
There were no official reports of casualties except for a vehicle collision that Alberta Emergency Management Agency said had not been confirmed as caused by the fire.
Local officials also ordered a mandatory evacuation of Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates and Fort McMurray First Nation, which are roughly 30 miles south of Ft. McMurray.
Ft. McMurray sits near the 3rd-largest reserves of Crude Oil in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.
Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS-A) said it has shut down production at its Shell Albian Sands mining operation. Suncor (NYSE:SU), the largest Oil Sands operator, has reduced production at its regional facility 15 miles north of the city. And many other companies evacuated non-essential staff.
When people lose everything, they have to start from Zero. It is not easy, it is sad. We understand their pain.
We are in the fire season in North America now, take extreme care in the Danger Zones.
Paul Ebeling
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