Toronto Star: FORT MCMURRAY, ALBERTA.— The entire city of Fort McMurray is under a mandatory evacuation order because of a raging wildfire eating its way into the community. The fire worsened dramatically in a short time Tuesday and many residents had little notice to flee.Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said the province was doing all it could to ensure everyone’s safety. She said she was looking into the possibility of an airlift for residents with medical issues.
The wildfire, whipped by unpredictable winds on a day when the temperature reached 32 C, pushed billowing clouds of dark smoke into the sky and spit ash down on residents. Towers of bright-orange flames cut through the clouds and skipped over tinder-dry forest
Crews had seemed to be making progress controlling the blaze, burning since the weekend, but the situation worsened quickly on Tuesday. By mid-afternoon people from three neighbourhoods were told to leave immediately.
Over 30 000 people were trying to flee their homes, causing grid lock on highways. The temperature reached 32 C, when this time of year it’s usually between 10-15, the relative humidity is below 13% and there are winds of over 40km/hr.
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(via butttsoup)
