Fort Mac Wildfire Thread

[Fuzz]

It never ends today...

Mackenzie County Wildfire Update – May 4, 2016 (4:38 p.m.)
There is an out of control fire in the Norbord yard (approximately 5 km south of the Town of High Level) and smoke can be visible from High Level. The High Level Fire Department as well as Agriculture and Forestry firefighters are on scene. There is no threat to High Level or rural residents at this time.

http://www.emergencyalert.alberta.ca...6/05/3719.html

[blueski]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

The silver lining is that rebuilding is going to require a lot of labourers, like those out of work...It's not like the city will be abandoned.

Paul Krugman logic depresses me. So should we just nuke large swaths of country to create work?

[woob]

Originally Posted by blueski

Paul Krugman logic depresses me. So should we just nuke large swaths of country to create work?

Wow.. think you might need to try again on understanding what his post was saying.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by blueski

Paul Krugman logic depresses me. So should we just nuke large swaths of country to create work?

I want a job on that work crew

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

Man, this post really hit me hard. Like, the entire town is at risk. If major infrastructure gets destroyed (hospital, water treatment plants, etc) then that's long term livelihoods of these people getting destroyed. Not just their homes, but their city and their jobs. ****. I'm so choked up right now. Please dear god give them some breaks. Please. Rain, shifting winds, anything.

I can't remember where I saw a post, either here, Twitter or Reddit, but there is some sort of crew located at the water treatment plant in order to attempt to keep it safe. I think that at one point there was a fire within a few blocks of the hospital and I don't think the flames got any closer.

[CroFlames]

Please make it stop!!!

[Tacopuck]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

The silver lining is that rebuilding is going to require a lot of labourers, like those out of work...It's not like the city will be abandoned.

It super tough to realize any silver lining when the devastation is so personal for some, but when everything settles there will be alot of insurance payouts to rebuild homes and buildings. Fort Mac of all places could use that to keep alot of unemployed / not working contractors busy. Not that you would ever hope / want / fathom / or even see this situation play out like this.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by blueski

Paul Krugman logic depresses me. So should we just nuke large swaths of country to create work?

I don't think anyone is suggesting that.

But the poster is right. There will be a lot of work out there to rebuild.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Azure

I don't think anyone is suggesting that.

But the poster is right. There will be a lot of work out there to rebuild.

What's that old saying, when life closes a door it opens a window?

Tough to imagine any positives coming from this but it is a valid point

[KevanGuy]

Static photo below:

[vegasbound]

Best friend is on his way up there after getting the call from being on standby. Seeing that webcam footage is so surreal.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by blueski

Paul Krugman logic depresses me. So should we just nuke large swaths of country to create work?

Sorry, that isn't what I was suggesting at all. Have you heard of the concept of "silver lining"? I'm not sure what kind of world you live in it needs to be specifically stated that it would be better if this had never happened...

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I just saw on twitter that a State of Emergency has been declared.

What is the protocol for that declaration?
I wish this would/could have been issued at least 12 hours earlier. In a situation like this, every minute counts.
Let's get everyone somewhere safe.

[bc-chris]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I just heard on CBC that the fire is encroaching on downtown Fort Mac and that crews aren't certain if they can keep the fire back.

man this sucks - it brings back tons of memories from the okanagan park fire that hit kelowna back in 2003

i know the city of kelowna had the green light from both the provincial and federal governments to bulldoze a fire break right thru the neighbourhood i currently live in - take out all the houses on both sides of the main road going into my neighbourhood. thankfully the wind shifted about an hour or two before the bulldozers were deployed. the fear was if the fire got past the main road there would be nothing anyone could do and the fire would make it's way to the city center.

i think one of the unreal things with fires this big is how fast they move. one of my buddies who is a fire fighter was in the kettle valley subdivision trying to save homes during the 2003 fire. the winds shifted and they had to go now - like immediately. they didn't even have time to depressurize their hose lines. all they had time to do was fire up a chain saw, run around the fire truck cutting thru the hoses and then getting out of their as fast as the engine would go - super scary!

my heart goes out to you fort mac - i can relate. thankfully in '03 our house was fine, but many of my friends had to rebuild - which was tough, but in the grand scheme of things they just lost 'stuff' and in time were able to get a bunch of new stuff.

[JonDuke]

Originally Posted by TomLeeMC

Erin ChalmersVerified account
‏@ChalmersErin
Just passed a fiery crash on Hwy 881 b/w Lac La Biche & Conklin. Fire has now started in trees. AVOID THIS AREA!!!!

This is about 2.5 hours south of Fort Mac, near Heart Lake.
No info yet if the fire caused from this is contained or not.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2680870/ho.../?sf25679319=1

[united]

CalgarySun just retweeted this text, apparently from a firefighter. Hopefully it's not legit

Spoiler!

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

It never ends today...

http://www.emergencyalert.alberta.ca...6/05/3719.html

My inlaws live there (shut up Pylon). This is the OSB plant located 17 km south of High Level. Apparently not a threat. Yet. However, the winds are quite high there right now, according to my father-in-law. They live a little more than 7 miles north of High Level, so in the opposite direction. Everyone is on edge, understandably, given it takes very little for things to take a sudden turn for the worse, as already evidenced.

ETA: Hit post on this and things have already changed. Fack.

Area: High Level
Description: An immediate mandatory evacuation order has been issued for the following area as a result of the out of control fire in the Norbord yard. Evacuation area, rural residents south of High Level between Bushe Reserve and Highway 35.

Check Mackenzie County Facebook Page for further updates. If you are experiencing any breathing difficulties, please seek medical attention.


Instructions:
Evacuate immediately. Follow the directions of local authorities. Visibility will be affected. Avoid the area. Residents are asked to go to the Reception Centre located at the Town of High Level office to register and receive further instruction. For more information call 780-927-3718.

[bc-chris]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

What is the protocol for that declaration?
I wish this would/could have been issued at least 12 hours earlier. In a situation like this, every minute counts.
Let's get everyone somewhere safe.

i'm pretty sure the declaration of a state of emergency doesn't really impact the evacuation orders (i'm assuming you're referring to the evacuations becuz of "Let's get everyone somewhere safe")

the state of emergency declaration allows for 'special powers' to be given to municipal/provincial/federal governments.

i'm pretty sure that ottawa can't just "send in the military", there needs to be a state of emergency declared which then gives them the authority to do so.

http://findlaw.ca/learn-about-the-la...-of-emergency/

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by united

CalgarySun just retweeted this text, apparently from a firefighter. Hopefully it's not legit

Spoiler!

God I hope it's not true. Omg.

This is incomprehensible.

[para transit fellow]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

What is the protocol for that declaration?
I wish this would/could have been issued at least 12 hours earlier. In a situation like this, every minute counts.
Let's get everyone somewhere safe.

it's all in this 20 page document

http://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Acts/E06P8.pdf

I understood the fire was immediately declared as a local state of emergency until the province made it's own declaration.

As I understand it the preferable plan is to let the local resources run the emergency - they have the better knowledge.