Massive wildfire in Fort McMurray destroys buildings Largest Evacuation.

Oh. My. God.

Just saw this and am stunned. 86 degrees in northern Alberta this time of year?

www.theglobeandmail.com...

Heartbreaking for all these families.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Well, that's good news!

a reply to: Caver78

Ironic...isn't it.

I'm far from one of those climate change "nuts"...but I'm also not oblivious to man made pollution.

they sure as hell have made quite the mess up there in the tar sands...call it karma?

a reply to: Sparkymedic

cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca...

We're really dry in the prairies, and they don't seem to do controlled burns in the forest area, so our forests burn up every year somewhere. Fire season is two months early this year - there was hardly any snow.
This is the second time a town was hit, a few years ago it was Slave Lake that was evacuated.

I haven't been up to Fort Mac myself, I'm 5 hours south of there, but from what I've heard from others that have been there, they've been working on cutting back pollution for a few years now, recapturing carbon wastes, and restoring forests. The skies are normally blue, not smoggy grey. Edmonton skies sometimes look worse, just because of dust. They've cleaned up a lot of their pollution as well.

This fire has nothing to do with the oil sands. Saskatchewan is going to have a bad fire season too.

originally posted by: Sparkymedic
they sure as hell have made quite the mess up there in the tar sands...call it karma?

What a ridiculous thing to say.
While it's true that pollution has been a problem in the past, in Canada it's NOTHING compared to the pollution in North America, and plenty of other places on Earth. Would it be "justified" in your mind for those millions of completely innocent people to lose everything they own too, while you sit there in your comfortable home using the same resources as everyone else and accusing others of being guilty of something?

I am a climate change "nut" in comparison to a lot of people here who seem to crave unrestrained abuse of our environment, but I'm not moronic enough to think that these people deserve what's happening to them because they mine for much needed resources - however bad those resources might be in comparison to alternatives.

I've been catching up with this story today and it really doesn't look good for the community there. They're now suggesting that things are likely to get a lot worse before they get a handle on this. The military is likely to take another two days to reach them and by that point the entire city could be gone.

I think it's remarkable that no one has lost their life in this, hopefully no one will now that they've managed to pretty much evacuate everyone.

I just saw a recent report saying that some of those who are still out there fighting this have seen their own homes destroyed, and they're still working to save their neighbours from the same fate.

The damage there is already massive, but I fear it's going to get a lot worse before they get this under control.

a reply to: Rocker2013

Here here!

People should understand that massive wildfires have plagued prairie and dry forested areas for millenia, long before the oil and gas industries.

Great Fire of 1919

Canadas Incendiary Past

There are hundreds, if not thousands more, all caused by dry forests and lightening strikes/irresponsible recreational fires.

The worst is yet to come.

And, get this: It's been said, the fire was started by the Mayor's son, who's a firefighter.

Votes and taxpaying dollars! And you still do both. SHAMEFUL!!!

originally posted by: JuJuBee
The worst is yet to come.

And, get this: It's been said, the fire was started by the Mayor's son, who's a firefighter.

Votes and taxpaying dollars! And you still do both. SHAMEFUL!!!

That was Mayerthorpe. Different fire.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Blogger from Canada

They ran out of gasoline last night and people were having trouble getting to Edmonton and areas nearby for shelter. But humanity's good side came out and everyone is offering fuel, food, shelter for 100+ miles around. Temps are expected to hit 30C today, and tonight it is expected cloud will move in to cool the area down for the firefighters. Roads are still gridlocked this morning "at a near standstill" with only one road out and into the situation. People are riding bikes to get out and even walking. Some people darting across the roads taking risks getting out. The trailer park and condos are all gone this morning, as well as the motel, Denny's, and other businesses. Downtown apparently looks like a war zone. Sounds like the entire city was leveled by fire last night, except a few smaller communities that are partially damaged. The National Department of National Defense has been called for assistance, and are waiting to hear back. Yet that Alberta pride is shining hard already today, and once folks get their bearings on the situation after last night, they'll start rocking and rolling.

Just heard there's EIGHTY per cent loss of homes. That is so massive I can't believe it's happening. This isn't stackem and packem high density living, this is a community spread through a huge arboreal forest, through hills and valleys, so the aerial videos should be jaw dropping later today. If allowed in to take any, as the smokey skies are filled with water bombers and rescue helicopters.
The live interviews are pretty sad already today. Many are overwhelmed with the sights this morning. Even the mayor of slave lake has joined the fire fight. My neighbor has a son there and she hasn't been able to get in touch by any way at all. She's terrified right now that he was lost. No reports of human casualties as of yet, but that is standard procedure until things calm down a bit.
No gas stations for 200 miles all the way to Wandering River, so a huge shout out to all the awesome people driving up with fuel to help get the other folks get out. 53,000 people left by car last night, and many staying in lodges once they're out.
We're tough in Alberta, and we'll eventually beat this thing with the help of one another. Most people don't appreciate how remote this location is, and how cut off from everything they are now, more than normally.
It literally is the middle of nowhere. No food, very little water, no fuel. Sounds like everyone lost everything.

a reply to: JuJuBee

Why would anyone spread this rumour? Absolutely untrue.

a reply to: lurksoften
My heart goes out to the folks there. How to help.

I just wonder, though, how many of the 'energy' companies intend to take the insurance loot...and scoot.
This is, after all, a conspiracy site.

originally posted by: peck420

originally posted by: JuJuBee
The worst is yet to come.

And, get this: It's been said, the fire was started by the Mayor's son, who's a firefighter.

Votes and taxpaying dollars! And you still do both. SHAMEFUL!!!

That was Mayerthorpe. Different fire.

Ooooooh, i didn't know that.

Volunt eer firefighter charged with setting fires he helped fight

Published Sunday, May 01, 2016 2:31PM EDT
Last updated Monday, May 02, 2016 12:15AM EDT

The CN trestle bridge in Mayerthorpe, Alta., was made of wood and when it caught fire last week it burned like so much kindling, giving off clouds of thick black smoke and glowing bright orange. The blaze was one of nearly two dozen suspicious fires that have scarred the small community near Edmonton in the past two weeks. And when the apparent string of blazes came to an end this weekend, it was with a revelation as disturbing as the fires themselves: the arrest, on 18 counts of arson, of 19-year-old volunteer firefighter Lawson Schalm.

As if it mattered. Still, VOTES AND TAXPAYING DOLLARS! The Mayor should have lost his job, and the son should be behind bars. But, that didn't happen because WE believe politicians are above the law. They get away with more crimes than all of humanity, combined!

Addon:

"There's roughly 100 firefighter arsonists convicted every year in North America and all of them are serial arsonists, which means three or more fires,"....

Research into firefighter arson indicates it's a long-standing problem. Some researchers have recommended national databases or tracking systems be established...The NVFC website notes that firefighter arson "is a long-standing problem that impacts fire departments and communities across the nation," suggesting it is "not a new phenomenon."

originally posted by: JohnnyCanuck
My heart goes out to the folks there. How to help.

I just wonder, though, how many of the 'energy' companies intend to take the insurance loot...and scoot.
This is, after all, a conspiracy site.

Hard to say, but probably not many. Most of the energy assets aren't physically in FMac. Might make loot and scoot less than profitable.

originally posted by: peck420

Hard to say, but probably not many. Most of the energy assets aren't physically in FMac. Might make loot and scoot less than profitable.

Lot of company infrastructure up there, though. I wonder if it marks the end of oil sands development, which is not profitable in the current market, anyway.

Blogger from Canada

some people dont understand fort Mcmurray is located in the center of one of the largest forests in the world

there is at least a 100 miles in every direction non stop forest

no one could put that $h!t out

I made this thread, 2 days before the fire started and now i'm wondering............

A Mayday Warning? Friday the 13th?

a reply to: JuJuBee

Why are you making this about your "prediction" which has nothing to do with this wildfire. Tens of thousands of people are losing their homes. Have some respect.

Just an observation. Whilst everyone is fleeing for there lives, What sort of a employer still has there employees man the Gas stations.

a reply to: Soloprotocol

Lol, good point. But at the same time, if I was an employee (without a family), I'd do it just on the chance it might save lives.

a reply to: Rezlooper

Fort McMurray ran out of gas almost 24 hours ago. I imagine the people selling gas were owners and managers. It would be prudent to sell the gas if there was any time, just because you wouldn't want the fire to have any more fuel than it all ready does.

Plus, there's the chance you're saving lives, like you said.