Change your style

Saturday 7 May 2016

Canada wildfire 'to double in size' BBC NEWS

A surveillance camera shows fire ripping through a home in Fort McMurray

Officials in Canada say the huge wildfire which has devastated the oil town of Fort McMurray in Alberta could double in size over the next 24 hours.

The fire currently covers an area larger than New York City and is being fanned by winds and feeding on dry vegetation.

The flames are now moving away from the town, most of whose inhabitants have now reached safety.

More than 80,000 people were evacuated from the city earlier this week.

Most fled south but many fled north. A land convoy evacuating people from oil worker camps in the north on Friday was suspended after 200ft (60m) flames flanked the road.

How wildfires start and how to stop them

'Perfect storm' boosted Alberta fires

Residents flee fire

The police-escorted column of 1,500 vehicles was due to pass by the southern part of the city but was suspended on Friday afternoon until Saturday.

Emergency services are hoping for rain to stop the fire spreading

Dozens of aircraft have been deployed to try to keep the fire in check

Thousands have been evacuated, both by land and air

Many have been stranded north of Fort McMurray

The provincial government said on Friday that the fire had grown to 1,000 sq km (386 sq miles).

Wildfire prevention manager Chad Morrison said there was a "high potential that the fire could double in size" by the end of Saturday.

But he added that it would expand into a more remote forested area north-east of Fort McMurray.

Dry conditions and 27C heat were expected during the day, but cooler temperatures would prevail and there was a possibility of rain on Sunday and Monday.

No comments:

Post a Comment