Alberta fire rages, torches 1,600 homes

columbiatribune.com ^ | May 5, 2016 | AP

[Berlin_Freeper]

Alberta declared a state of emergency Wednesday as crews frantically held back wind-whipped wildfires that have already torched 1,600 homes and other buildings in Canada’s main oil sands city of Fort McMurray, forcing more than 80,000 residents to flee.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said fire had destroyed or damaged an estimated 1,600 structures. Flames are being kept from the downtown area thanks to the “herculean” efforts of firefighters, said Scott Long of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency. No injuries or fire-related fatalities have been reported.

The fire appeared late Wednesday near the airport, where crews were onsite. All commercial flights in and out of Fort McMurray have been suspended.

Unseasonably hot temperatures, combined with dry conditions, have transformed the boreal forest in much of Alberta into a tinder box.

[Berlin_Freeper]

up to 50 people were staying on their property for “reasons all over the map. Some just don’t want to leave, others want to take care of their possessions.”

[Berlin_Freeper]

(Reuters) - Oil prices surged on Thursday after a raging wildfire near Canada's oil sands region curbed output that mainly flows to the United States, before settling off their highs as a rebounding dollar and a huge U.S. stockpile build cut into gains.

[Berlin_Freeper]

'It’s getting a little heated out here,'

[Berlin_Freeper]

Breaking updates

[Berlin_Freeper]

YMMhelp.com streamlines outpouring of support for Fort McMurray fire evacuees

[Dusty Road]

They call them Fire Breaks for a reason! You cut them and maintain them. We’ve got 18 miles of fire breaks on the ranch and a 200ft break around the ranch house. While those big beautiful trees around the house are nice they’re also a trap. 5 years ago we had two big fires the same year, one took out 5 sections and the other took out 11. The only thing we lost was fences in some places where the breaks hadn’t been cut. We have 72 oil wells and 17 tank battery’s and all had breaks cut around them. This was one of the hottest driest years we’d had in a long time, barely enough water in the ponds for the helo’s to refill. It took one man with a dozer just over 30 days to cut all the breaks. The big fires in central Texas wouldn’t have taken so many homes if people would just keep it clear around their property. This kind of damage doesn’t have to happen if people would just prepare a little.

[caww]

I heard this on Gretta and checked it out soon after...this fire is massive indeed...so many being evacuated.....I heard some of those who left the range of fire...there are some incredible stories thus far and very sad for many. :(

[palmer]

Yep, we have firewise here in Virginia but not a lot of people take it seriously because it almost never gets that dry in the east. Almost never.

[LadyDoc]

I lived in New Mexico when that state had lots of fires. I will keepmyou in my prayers.

[T-Bone Texan]

Rumor is that the fires started on the one year anniversary of the grand opening of the local mosque.

Apparently there is a full court press by the media to spin the muslim angle positively. Lots of sympathetic articles currently being excreted with 2 themes:

1) innocent muslimes fleeing the fire like everybody else, but their experience is just oh so much more poignant and full of adversity, and

2) muslims volunteering, and taking in those who have fled, and look they are taking in regular Canadian white people. Gosh muslims have big hearts.