Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Rhiannon12866

(202,970 posts)
Sat May 7, 2016, 07:04 AM May 2016

Fort McMurray wildfire threatens to double in size by day's end (includes videos)

Source: CBC News

Now covering 156,000 hectares, continues to grow to the northeast

Firefighters are once again preparing to battle with what Darby Allen, the Regional Fire Chief of Wood Buffalo, has been calling "the beast," Fort McMurray's out-of-control wildfire.

Officials worry the "the beast" — a fire that has destroyed more than 1,600 homes and buildings and burned more than 101,000 hectares of forest — will grow to over double its size by the time the sun sets.

"I do expect that there is a high potential that this fire could double in size by tomorrow," said Chad Morrison, senior wildfire manager for the province, on Friday.

"We have substantially extreme fire conditions in front of us still for the next two days."

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-saturday-1.3571678




A badly damaged swing set sits in a residential neighborhood destroyed by the fire in Fort McMurray, which is still burning out of control. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
24 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Fort McMurray wildfire threatens to double in size by day's end (includes videos) (Original Post) Rhiannon12866 May 2016 OP
maybe Hill' will now repudiate the planetary climate blood money she has received from Buffett Agony May 2016 #1
Yeah. This is all her fault. Not. n/t Tess49 May 2016 #9
you are correct, it is not all her fault however she has a leadership role to play, don't you think? Agony May 2016 #12
Yes - yes - Plucketeer May 2016 #13
Thank goodness the RCMP are going door to door Hortensis May 2016 #2
Yes, Thank goodness for organized civil society and a government to provide help for people in need. Agony May 2016 #4
You got it. Living here in the South, I am well Hortensis May 2016 #7
... allan01 May 2016 #3
So do they let controlled burns go on up there, or is this one of those areas where they jtuck004 May 2016 #5
From an article a couple of days ago. OnlinePoker May 2016 #10
Hard to improve on perfection, but we keep trying. Costly, though. jtuck004 May 2016 #14
Air quality rated unhealthy as smoke from Alberta reaches Billings **900 miles** Ptah May 2016 #6
It was smoky hazy here in southeast SK yesterday. polly7 May 2016 #8
We are under a blanket of noxious smoke, western Montana 406-Boz May 2016 #11
What a horrific thing!!!! Cooley Hurd May 2016 #15
BC fires keep growing and are crossing the border into Alberta, too. suffragette May 2016 #16
Just awful GOPblows431 May 2016 #17
Update: Blaze will take months to extinguish, Alberta fire official says (includes dashcam video) Rhiannon12866 May 2016 #18
More: Work camp housing wildfire 1st responders forced to evacuate Rhiannon12866 May 2016 #19
Link to BBC article nitpicker May 2016 #20
Thanks! This is a major crisis that just seems to be getting worse... Rhiannon12866 May 2016 #21
Minnapolis-St. Paul is under advisory for AQ. Scruffy1 May 2016 #22
Fort McMurray fire: Light rain, cold front offer little relief to those battling flames Rhiannon12866 May 2016 #23
Nearly 90 per cent of Fort McMurray still intact; 2,400 structures lost Rhiannon12866 May 2016 #24

Agony

(2,605 posts)
1. maybe Hill' will now repudiate the planetary climate blood money she has received from Buffett
Sat May 7, 2016, 08:10 AM
May 2016

and other climate change plutocrats.

She should be able to tell Warren to "cut it out" WRT to his 1/2 billion dollar investment in SUncor Tar Sands operations.

She should at least return the $25k in climate blood money he already gave her.

not holding my breath however since she has such a difficult time making appropriate timely decisions.


http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/berkshire-hathaway-sells-exxon-stake-but-buys-more-suncor-and-ibm-1.2961322

http://www.suncor.com/~/media/Images/Suncordotcom/Formatted-Banners/hands-cradling-bitumen-672x300.ashx?h=300&w=672&la=en-CA&hash=00ABA4972195F6126F8A61D3B033E4A19DAC4B07

Agony

(2,605 posts)
12. you are correct, it is not all her fault however she has a leadership role to play, don't you think?
Sat May 7, 2016, 01:49 PM
May 2016

Ignoring massive investments in the dirtiest of fossil fuel development and accepting political donations and support from those elements is not leadership. It is irresponsible at best for a person asking to be made leader of the most influential nation on earth.

My Democratic Party is not blameless in this regard either… business as usual is not good enough

 

Plucketeer

(12,882 posts)
13. Yes - yes -
Sat May 7, 2016, 02:09 PM
May 2016

CLEAN Fracking - CLEAN Coal!!! Drill Baby Drill !!! Ma Earth will survive us even if we don't!

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
2. Thank goodness the RCMP are going door to door
Sat May 7, 2016, 09:19 AM
May 2016

and homeless shanty to shanty (in a spread out area that held 88,000 people!). This is a convoy of some who drove through the city yesterday on the way south. They'd been relocated to an oil sands relocation area north of the city and then trapped there

http://i.cbc.ca/1.3569810.1462541379!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_620/convoy.jpg

Agony

(2,605 posts)
4. Yes, Thank goodness for organized civil society and a government to provide help for people in need.
Sat May 7, 2016, 09:53 AM
May 2016

This is a perfect example of why Democrats need to fight with a platform that includes strong support for a well funded government infrastructure and that repudiates the anti-science Trump-Cruz-Republican idiocy.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
7. You got it. Living here in the South, I am well
Sat May 7, 2016, 10:12 AM
May 2016

aware that should a large-scale disaster occur preparation should have included moving to a blue northeast area.

Down here you're supposed to belong to a church and to turn to that church, and of course friends, for help. Good luck for that if the grid goes down and there's actually not even 2 days of food for everyone in the supermarkets.

Ideology that predates the development of billions of people living in wholly dependent giant urban areas really needs an update.

 

jtuck004

(15,882 posts)
5. So do they let controlled burns go on up there, or is this one of those areas where they
Sat May 7, 2016, 10:04 AM
May 2016

put out every fire, no matter what, until there is too much fuel?

OnlinePoker

(5,702 posts)
10. From an article a couple of days ago.
Sat May 7, 2016, 01:38 PM
May 2016

“Before major wildfire suppression programs, boreal forests historically burned on an average cycle ranging from 50 to 200 years as a result of lightning and human-caused wildfires,” the panel found in a report released in 2012.

“Wildfire suppression has significantly reduced the area burned in Alberta’s boreal forest. However, due to reduced wildfire activity, forests of Alberta are aging, which ultimately changes ecosystems and is beginning to increase the risk of large and potentially costly catastrophic wildfires.”

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/albertas-aging-forests-increase-risk-of-catastrophic-fires-2012-report

Ptah

(32,983 posts)
6. Air quality rated unhealthy as smoke from Alberta reaches Billings **900 miles**
Sat May 7, 2016, 10:11 AM
May 2016
http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/smoke-from-alberta-fires-reaches-montana-rain-possible-into-weekend/article_3712acc8-3fe4-54ef-a66e-4242f092b2ef.html

Smoke from wildfires in Canada blew into the Billings area early Friday and the area's air quality has been downgraded to an "unhealthy" listing in response, while local health officials are cautioning residents to keep an eye on the air quality with spring outdoor sports season in full swing.

According to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Billings saw a peak hourly particulate concentration of 139 as of 7 a.m. By comparison, the particulate concentration was three at midnight, zero at 2 a.m. and 22 and 4 a.m.

By 9 a.m., the number had dropped to 91, which is still considered unhealthy.

The federal Air Quality Index said the unhealthy designation means the air likely won't affect healthy individuals, but could be of concern for others.



----------------

That's 900 miles away.

polly7

(20,582 posts)
8. It was smoky hazy here in southeast SK yesterday.
Sat May 7, 2016, 10:13 AM
May 2016

I got home earlier this morning and it looks to be the same today.

 

406-Boz

(53 posts)
11. We are under a blanket of noxious smoke, western Montana
Sat May 7, 2016, 01:42 PM
May 2016

It's ugly here, my sinuses have been exploding for two days. Appears that northern Alberta is getting July weather in April/ early May. Climate change is going to grind us mammals.

suffragette

(12,232 posts)
16. BC fires keep growing and are crossing the border into Alberta, too.
Sat May 7, 2016, 11:45 PM
May 2016
http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/two-aggressive-wildfires-in-b-c-grow-on-both-sides

Two massive wildfires burning in northeastern B.C., including a large blaze that has crossed into Alberta, grew overnight Friday, as gusts of wind hampered firefighting efforts.

Fire information officer Noelle Kekula said Saturday that the Siphon Creek fire, burning several kilometres into Alberta, grew to an estimated 24,000 hectares late Friday, up from 17,000 hectares earlier in the day. However, she said firefighters believe it has grown even bigger overnight as wind fanned the flames and the fire spread on both sides of the provincial border.

“It definitely grew overnight,” she said. “We won’t have an updated estimate until tonight … we know it has grown on both sides.”

Kekula said the weather continued Saturday to be hot, dry and windy, with no sign of rain until Sunday.



Dangerous now and looks likely to be a bad summer.

Rhiannon12866

(202,970 posts)
18. Update: Blaze will take months to extinguish, Alberta fire official says (includes dashcam video)
Sun May 8, 2016, 04:03 AM
May 2016

Planning is under way to allow evacuated Fort McMurray residents back home, but it’s unclear how long it will be before advances in fighting a massive wildfire opens the door to their return, a senior Alberta fire official said Saturday.

However, officials said they will be fighting the overall fire, expected to reach 300,000 hectares in size by day’s end Saturday, for months to come even if they make gains that allow the return of more than 80,000 residents to the northern Alberta city.

“It’s going to take quite a while for the wildfire fighters to actually get that under control, contain it, put it out,” Scott Long, executive provincial operations director for the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, told a Saturday afternoon briefing in Edmonton.

Efforts to protect the community, including the downtown core and critical infrastructure like the airport, have been “largely successful” he said.

“There is no time limit established yet on a re-entry, but re-entry planning has started,” he said.


Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/blaze-will-take-months-to-extinguish-alberta-fire-official-says/article29933091/


Rhiannon12866

(202,970 posts)
19. More: Work camp housing wildfire 1st responders forced to evacuate
Sun May 8, 2016, 04:37 AM
May 2016
Inside the city, police are going house to house, looking for people who may have been unable to leave

A massive wildfire nicknamed "the beast" has forced a work camp north of Fort McMurray housing first responders to evacuate Saturday night.

"This is an orderly and precautionary evacuation," Noralta, the company that runs the camp, said in a press release, adding that people in the area are "not in imminent danger." The announcement came at 6:30 p.m.

Earlier in the day authorities informed those staying at the camp they should be prepared to evacuate on two hours' notice.

Non-essential staff are currently being sent south of Fort McMurray to safe sites on buses. Some workers will be sent to Grey Wolf, another camp north of Fort McMurray.


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-saturday-1.3571678



A member of Wildfire Management Alberta's Wild Mountain Unit out of Hinton, hoses down hotspots in the Parsons Creek area of Fort McMurray on May 6. (Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta/Reuters)

nitpicker

(7,153 posts)
20. Link to BBC article
Sun May 8, 2016, 05:14 AM
May 2016
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36238076

Canada wildfire: Alberta blaze threatens neighbouring province

2 hours ago

A huge wildfire raging in the Canadian province of Alberta is growing further and could spill into neighbouring Saskatchewan, officials say.
(snip)

The flames have already caused the evacuation of 80,000 people from the oil city of Fort McMurray, and thousands are still stuck to the north. Their evacuation, originally planned for Saturday, will now take place on Sunday.
(snip)

The wildfire now covers an area of more than 700 sq miles (2,000 sq km), which includes areas still ablaze and areas already burnt. It was being propelled by high winds to the north-east towards Saskatchewan and was expected to reach the province by the end of Saturday. Smoke from the fire has already spread there, and air quality statements have been issued for both Saskatchewan and North-West Territory.
(snip)

Scruffy1

(3,239 posts)
22. Minnapolis-St. Paul is under advisory for AQ.
Sun May 8, 2016, 07:34 AM
May 2016

It smells smokey here and my eyes are watering. PP2 at around 100. Hopefully. the wind will shift, The under coverage by the media is criminal, but there is something (ironic)? about about one of the worlds worst greenhouse gas producers being destroyed by It's main product. Hoisted on its own petard?

Rhiannon12866

(202,970 posts)
23. Fort McMurray fire: Light rain, cold front offer little relief to those battling flames
Mon May 9, 2016, 01:36 AM
May 2016
The wildfire, once measured in football fields, now sits at three times the size of Edmonton

It has been one week since the Fort McMurray wildfire known as "the beast" reared its ugly head. It continues to grow and has set its sights on Saskatchewan.

Wind gusts of 40 to 70 km/h were expected in the region Sunday, and there was light rain, as part of a cold front that's moving into northern Alberta.

The winds will help fuel the flames and what little moisture there is should not bring much relief to those battling the fire.

The wildfire outside of Fort McMurray, once measured in football fields, now sits at more than 2,000 square kilometres, three times the size of Edmonton.

"It certainly will increase in size today, and it's still listed as out of control and the conditions are still very dry. We do have some difficult weather, some interesting weather, coming up," said Matthew Anderson, wildfire information officer with Alberta Agriculture, speaking from Edmonton on Sunday.


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/fort-mcmurray-fire-sunday-1.3572347



Service vehicles drive out of the wildfires near Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, May 7, 2016. (Mark Blinch/Reuters)



The majority of vehicles and homes were destroyed in Fort McMurray's Beacon Hill neighbourhood. (Sylvain Bascaron/Radio-Canada)

Rhiannon12866

(202,970 posts)
24. Nearly 90 per cent of Fort McMurray still intact; 2,400 structures lost
Tue May 10, 2016, 03:18 AM
May 2016

The Alberta government will release a plan to let people back into Fort McMurray and neighbouring communities in about two weeks, although some will be met with little more than burned bike frames in their backyards and reams of twisted iron scattered throughout their neighbourhoods.

Premier Rachel Notley, who toured Fort McMurray on Monday, said roughly 2,400 buildings in Fort McMurray have been damaged or destroyed. The hospital, municipal buildings and all of the schools, save for one under construction, have been saved. Most of the critical infrastructure remains, she told reporters in Fort McMurray.

“We will be able to provide a schedule for return within two weeks,” Ms. Notley told reporters at the emergency operations centre that is running out of the city’s Firehall No. 5. “In some cases, re-entry may or may not involve permanent re-entry.”

More than 10 per cent of the buildings in Fort McMurray have been ruined and the fire consuming this region of northern Alberta remains out of control. Hot spots and hazards remain in town, even in areas the fire flattened last week.

The government toured select media through Fort McMurray on Monday, accompanied by RCMP and other officials. In Abasand, apartment complexes have been wiped out, backyards host charred barbecues and blackened metal fences. Houses have been flattened and their contents – from bathtubs to unidentifiable piles of metal – lie twisted and blackened. The streets are largely clear, although the buildings and their contents look like they were hit with a tornado. Pinkish concrete foundations remain.


Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/about-85-per-cent-of-fort-mcmurray-still-intact-2400-structures-lost/article29945682/



Damage from the wildfires is seen in the Beacon Hill neighbourhood in Fort McMurray, Alta., on Monday, May 9, 2016.
(Ryan Remiorz/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Fort McMurray wildfire th...