With no precipitation in the forecast and temperatures expected to hit a very unseasonable 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) today, winds are expected to pick up, making the blaze very unpredictable and difficult to control.
CTV News is reporting that Chad Morrison, a senior manager with Alberta Wildfire Prevention & Enforcement told reporters, “We expect it to be a worse fire day than yesterday, with the big issue being the winds gusting at 20 km/h. With hot, dry conditions, firefighters will continue to be challenged all day.”
Based on reporting by CNN, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo said Wednesday that 80 percent of Ft. McMurray’s Beacon Hill community had already been destroyed by the fire.
Alberta’s forestry manager Bernie Schmitte said, “explosive conditions” make this fire very dangerous and difficult to control. The only good news to come out of this tragedy is that no one has been killed. And CNN meteorologist Judson Jones says, “Conditions are set to improve over the next couple of days.”
At a news conference held at the Provincial Operations Centre on Wednesday, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said this was the largest evacuation in the province’s history. Because of the heavy smoke and fire, motorists were asked not to travel to Fort McMurray on either Highway 63 or Highway 881 unless it was absolutely essential.
As of Wednesday morning, the blaze has burned 7,500 hectares or 29 square miles, and it is still growing. By Thursday, higher humidity, and lower temperatures will help in fighting the fire, but extreme temperatures will return to northeast Alberta this weekend.