Massive Canada wildfire spreads south

A massive wildfire in Alberta, Canada, has moved south, forcing more evacuations on Thursday.

The fire is now 85,000 hectares, or 850 sq km, which is larger than the city of Calgary.

It has grown five times its initial size since it broke out, prompting more than 88,000 evacuations.

The fire started on Sunday in Canada's oil sands region and many oil sands projects have cut production.

The emergency operations centre has moved 300 km south and the evacuation order has widened as the flames spread past Fort McMurray.

There are still no known causalities from the fire but there was at least one vehicle crash with fatalities on the evacuation route.

Eight thousand evacuees currently in camps north of Fort McMurray will be resettled in southern urban areas, officials said on Thursday.

Alberta premier Rachel Notley said the fire is growing in size due to high winds but that it was "under control".

More than 88,000 have fled Fort McMurray

Officials have not given a timeline for when people may be able to head back to their homes.

Scott Long of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency called the blaze "an extreme fire event" and that rain would be needed to fight it.

Cooler temperatures and rain are forecast, giving hope that it could become easier to contain the fire.

Officials constructed a make-shift emergency operations centre twice on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

The fire has knocked out nearly a third of the country's daily crude capacity.

At least 64,000 barrels of crude output is offline as a result of the fire, according to Reuters.

'It's catastrophic' says fleeing resident

"The smoke was really overpowering. It was a terrifying experience," says Szymon Bicz, who fled his home.

"Thick black smoke was closing in and surrounded the car. People were driving up on paths and grass verges just to get out of there. I'm hoping my rented house is still intact but I just don't know.

"The whole region is at risk. It's absolutely catastrophic."

Residents north of Fort McMurray are being told to shelter in place.

The blaze grew close to the local airport on Thursday, with the CBC reporting that some buildings have been destroyed, but the main terminal is still intact. All flights are cancelled.

"It is a possibility that we may lose a large portion of the town," Scott Long, an official with Alberta's emergency management agency told Reuters.

Residents of Fort McMurray took shelter in gymnasiums, arenas and hockey rinks

On Wednesday evening, thousands stayed in arenas, hockey rinks and school gymnasiums, some with little food and other resources.

Authorities in Alberta have called the fire "catastrophic".

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that the federal government will match donations to the Canadian Red Cross to assist those affected by the fire.

"The outpouring of good will and compassion from Canadians right across the country has not only been inspirational, it has been entirely characteristic of who we are and the fundamental human values we share as Canadians," Mr Trudeau said.