Fort McMurray Fire

[SignalHillHiker]

As per Molson's suggestion, we can use this thread to discuss the Fort McMurray wildfire.

I won't move any posts from the various other threads it's come up in here as they were often part of a wider discussion, but feel free to introduce any news or discussions here instead.

The Red Cross donation link is:

https://donate.redcross.ca/ea-action...606.1462468072

The latest information from the municipality itself is available here:

http://asset.rmwb.ca/wildfire/

[SignalHillHiker]

One of the better demonstrations of what the experience was like:

Originally Posted by Marty_Mcfly

You can find all of them, along with blogger commentary here:

https://oursask.ca/2016/05/05/its-th...-from-ymmfire/

The page features six videos from one man's evacuation of a Fort McMurray neighbourhood, including:

• Video Link

[kwoldtimer]

The GofC has announced that it will be matching private donations to the Red Cross for Fort McMurray relief.

[Xelebes]

We have a thread in the Alberta subforum for discussion on damaged buildings and the reconstruction process.

We have a thread in the Current Events forum for discussing this as a current event.

[Taeolas]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

One of the better demonstrations of what the experience was like:



The page features six videos from one man's evacuation of a Fort McMurray neighbourhood, including:

Yeah his videos are probably going to make him famous. I'm amazed at how calm he is really. Especially about halfway through #3 when things really flare up and all you see is the glow of the flames, smoke and embers everywhere.

And major major shoutout to the cops manning that intersection through all the smoke, helping direct traffic and keeping it flowing, without masks and with the flames mere blocks away. (And very close to the gas station on that corner too by the looks of it)

[Airboy]

Apparently RCMP are not allowing the Alberta Pet Rescue society into the area even though firefighters are asking for them since they are finding a lot of pets in houses.

[Xelebes]

Alberta Government's statement as of 10 AM, May 5.

http://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xI...42C499FF0DE4CF

[Marty_Mcfly]

The fire has destroyed 850 sq. km of land since it's started. To put that in perspective, the city (not metro) of Calgary is about 825 sq. km.

[Xelebes]

Originally Posted by Marty_Mcfly

The fire has destroyed 850 sq. km of land since it's started. To put that in perspective, the city (not metro) of Calgary is about 825 sq. km.

That makes it larger than the Richardson Fire which had the record for the largest fire in Alberta's history at just over 700 sqkm.

Edit: Oops, Richardson fire was 700 000 ha, or 7 000 sqkm.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by Xelebes

That makes it larger than the Richardson Fire which had the record for the largest fire in Alberta's history at just over 700 sqkm.

Edit: Oops, Richardson fire was 700 000 ha, or 7 000 sqkm.

Eastern Alberta and Western Saskatchewan Fire

The Great Fire, 1919
Place: Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta including Lac La Biche, Alberta
Size of burn: 2.8 million hectares
Number of people affected: 300 people were left homeless
Property destroyed: estimated at $200,000
Cause: natural — low snow levels the previous winter, spring drought and high winds stirred by lightning

[Nicko999]

What a disaster in Fort McMurray! At least the weather has cooled down a little but it is still dry.

And I am in shock at how civil everyone is. Even more civil than Montrealers on a rush hour.

[Corndogger]

Originally Posted by Nicko999

What a disaster in Fort McMurray! At least the weather has cooled down a little but it is still dry.

And I am in shock at how civil everyone is. Even more civil than Montrealers on a rush hour.

No sense in panicking or acting like a jerk. It's not going to get you to safety any quicker.

[CanadianCentaur]

I hope that at least part of Fort McMurray west of the Athabasca River and the downtown core can be saved. This is an awful situation for anyone from Fort Mac.

Originally Posted by Xelebes

That makes it larger than the Richardson Fire which had the record for the largest fire in Alberta's history at just over 700 sqkm.

Edit: Oops, Richardson fire was 700 000 ha, or 7 000 sqkm.

There was an even bigger fire than that, called the Chinchaga Fire (also known as the Wisp Fire) in 1950.

This was the largest forest fire ever known fire in North America. It covered at least 1.4 million hectares (14,000 sq. km). That's nearly 17 times larger than the City of Calgary proper. It spanned across the AB/BC border, since it started near Fort St. John, but apparently most of it was in Alberta. News coverage at the time was scant, due to the remoteness and that no towns were burned down, nor were any lives lost. No firefighting efforts were made to do something about this fire, partly because of lack of firefighting resources and also due to the sparse population.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

Eastern Alberta and Western Saskatchewan Fire

The Great Fire, 1919
Place: Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta including Lac La Biche, Alberta
Size of burn: 2.8 million hectares
Number of people affected: 300 people were left homeless
Property destroyed: estimated at $200,000
Cause: natural — low snow levels the previous winter, spring drought and high winds stirred by lightning

My gosh, there are countries smaller than that!

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Airboy

Apparently RCMP are not allowing the Alberta Pet Rescue society into the area even though firefighters are asking for them since they are finding a lot of pets in houses.

Maybe they want to round up the pets themselves when they go through the houses looking for firearms.

Sorry, no jokes on this topic at this time.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by CanadianCentaur

I hope that at least part of Fort McMurray west of the Athabasca River and the downtown core can be saved. This is an awful situation for anyone from Fort Mac.



There was an even bigger fire than that, called the Chinchaga Fire (also known as the Wisp Fire) in 1950.

This was the largest forest fire ever known fire in North America. It covered at least 1.4 million hectares (14,000 sq. km). That's nearly 17 times larger than the City of Calgary proper. It spanned across the AB/BC border, since it started near Fort St. John, but apparently most of it was in Alberta. News coverage at the time was scant, due to the remoteness and that no towns were burned down, nor were any lives lost. No firefighting efforts were made to do something about this fire, partly because of lack of firefighting resources and also due to the sparse population.

I know this is probably not the time for such, but one key issue will be fireproofing for the future to avoid or mitigate such.

[Airboy]

There is currently a wildfire in North eastern BC that is crossing the Alberta Border. BC Fire crews will continue working it into Alberta to take pressure off Alberta Fire crews.

[eternallyme]

I'm thinking they will have to go to the US for assistance. BC has over 200 fires on the go and Saskatchewan about 150, in addition to the 300+ in Alberta right now.

[Razor]

MY wife and I plan to donate some cash to the Red Cross or similar this weekend.

What a tragedy..It's all the news is talking about on the morning radio show.
They are also giving props to the resiliency of the Fort Mac residents.

I just don't understand how a fire can spread so quickly in a newly built city with a lot of new modern fire proofing .
was there a lot of wood used in construction vs a mix using bricks and mortar?..
Having A lot of trees in the city certainly doesn't help matter I suppose.

[Airboy]

Syrian Refuges help YMM

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-...-fire-evacuees

Also made donations to CRC and Edmonton Emergency Relief Society. And will make a further donation this weekend.