“The fire is moving in a southwesterly direction, at last report,” wildfire information officer Matthew Anderson told reporters on Thursday morning, noting that the shifting winds are creating an ever-changing and volatile situation.
Hot, dry, windy weather has made the massive Ft. McMurray wildfire all but impossible to control. Not only is it a danger to residents in the surrounding region, but to those firefighters trying to contain the blaze. Because of the instability of the situation, the province declared a state of emergency Wednesday,
While temperatures hit 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees F.) on Wednesday, it was forecast to reach a high of 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees F) today, along with a 30 percent chance of rain. The average temperature for this time of year is only 15 degrees Celsius, so it is still warmer than normal.
Canada has a fire intensity system to grade fires, with a Class 6 being the highest level. Many of the blazes around Ft. McMurray are at this level. While there have been no casualties reported from the wildfire itself, there were fatalities from at least one vehicle crash along the evacuation route, according to Reuters.
Was wildfire caused by humans?
The magnitude of the fire, its closeness to the city, and the fact that data shows there were no lightning strikes in the area has led Mike Flanagan, a professor of wildland fires at the University of Alberta to suggest that the fire was started by humans, CTV News Canada is reporting.
Talking to reporters, Flanagan said on average, Alberta has about 1,200 wildfires every year. Half are caused by humans and 47 percent are attributed to lightning strikes. “And in spring it’s heavily loaded on the side of people-caused fires,” Flanagan said.
And we can’t forget that weather conditions in Western Canada have been perfect for fires as a warm dry winter has left forests with an abundance of dry leaves and dead wood. “It’s really extreme conditions,” Flanagan said, citing the low humidity and lack of green vegetation, combined with windy conditions that increased the intensity of the fire.
Shifting conditions creating fear among evacuees
Last night, due to shifting winds, officials with the Rural Municipality of Wood Buffalo ordered the evacuation of Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates, and Fort McMurray First Nation. Buses began taking evacuees to Edmonton, 440 kilometers away.
Of particular concern is the plight of evacuees that were forced to travel north after the only route south was overtaken by the smoke and fire. This forced thousands of people to flee north toward oil-sands facilities and the few scattered settlements around, leaving no route out.
Many of those people tweeted the regional government, asking when they would be able to drive south, and whether areas north of the city were safe. “We haven’t forgotten about you and you’re safe,” said the government on Twitter.
In this stressful and dangerous time, let’s not forget our families, friends and neighbors. Look after each other, and stay safe.