Fort Mac Wildfire Thread

[MRCboicgy]

Just noticed it's the top story on CNN.com US edition (so not really news...) so starting to get attention.

[nik-]

How are they linking Trump to it?

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by nik-

How are they linking Trump to it?

"Hot Air ignites northern alberta."

[KevanGuy]

https://twitter.com/BillFortierCTV/s...28684221337600

Apparently this is too close for comfort. We, & the entire emergency ops. centre are being evacuated. #ymmfire

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by Kryzsky

Pretty rough hearing the stories and seeing the pictures, that's my part of the country, grew up just 120 kms from McMurray and I spent countless hours swimming and fishing the Clearwater.

Glad to hear there were no casualties but it must have been horrible for some people who had to evacuate without going home to get their pets. I just hope the SPCA were able to save some of those animals.

Yes, I agree. This is much much worse then the flood we had 2 years ago, water is a lot more forgiving then fire.

[woob]

Yikes. How is the evac of EmergOps going to affect the coordination/communication efforts?

[stazzy33]

Originally Posted by midniteowl

Yes, I agree. This is much much worse then the flood we had 2 years ago, water is a lot more forgiving then fire.

Water is much more predictable too.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Hessen

Baron. Why wouldn't they look at utilizing 1PPCLI from Edmonton. Were they not used during the Slave Lake fires and already have the training for this? Also as a self sufficient group they would not need the resources others would need (they bring most with them).

Honest question but what could they even do at this point in time other than putting people into harms way? It appears to be at a size where only an absolutely massive fire break would be able to stop it and there really isn't any time to do that. The only thing that I could think of would be for air support from helicopters form 408 to be jury rigged with water carrying capacity.

I am not a wildland fire fighter by any stretch but I know quite a few of them and from asking a few of them about this fire, when it reaches this size, with these conditions there isn't much that can be done that doesn't significantly place people's lives at risk.

[schteve_d]

That was apocalyptic stuff last night. Crazy. Not sure if they thought too many people were headed north but as I came out of Ki not sure if they thought too many people were headed north but as I came out of Timberlea I was directed south right through the fires. Stayed safe last night but I don't have fuel to get anywhere. In a long line near Anzac at a petro that for now has fuel. Each person is allowed 50 L so hopefully there is still some when I get there. 50l would upen up my options! Heard of 12 houses damaged about a block from where I live so I'm not sure how my places but hoping for the best. Crazy, crazy night and times. Not sure it's even all sunk in yet.

[Nyah]

Stay safe & good luck schteve!

[woob]

Alberta Emergency Alert app just pushed an alert out about another Wildfire for Lac Ste. Anne county, west of Edmonton. This is going to be a ROUGH fire season.

[worth]

Information Alert for Lac Ste. Anne County

There is a serious fire on the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation Reserve which is affecting properties in Lac Ste. Anne County. Any residents North of the Alexis Reserve between the western boundary of highway 7 6 5, East to Range Road 41, North to township road 560, please be prepared for evacuation with one hour notice. For more information visit our website www.lsac.ca

Prepare for possible evacuation. Close doors, windows and vents. Follow the directions of local authorities. Visibility will be affected. Take all necessary precautions. Avoid the area.

http://www.emergencyalert.alberta.ca...6/05/3716.html

[KevanGuy]

https://twitter.com/Wx_Ninja/status/727933763947089920



Fire exploding near Fort McMurray. Top pic 11am, bottom 1240pm. View is looking northwest from #YMM airport.

[cDnStealth]

[Flash Walken]

Hard as #### in the Mac

[Regular_John]

Not as visible as the first responders, but the person/team manning the @RMWoodBuffalo twitter account is doing an absolutely astounding job through all of this.

Putting out clear concise information, responding to individual inquiries, directly traffic for the evacuated, providing logistics information for business volunteering help/supplies.

They deserve massive amounts of recognition for what they're doing right now.

[CroFlames]

Can I just say I'm friggen proud to be Albertan.

Hang in there Fort Mac!

[Baron von Kriterium]

Originally Posted by Hessen

Baron. Why wouldn't they look at utilizing 1PPCLI from Edmonton. Were they not used during the Slave Lake fires and already have the training for this? Also as a self sufficient group they would not need the resources others would need (they bring most with them).

The simple answer is because there hasn't been a request for ground forces.

[Dogbert]

Glad to hear everyone I know up there was evacuated safely. An old friend of mine lived in one of the hardest-hit areas, and has likely lost everything; he's a reporter for one of the local newspapers, so he's basically thrown himself into work during the evacuation, and will deal with the personal aftermath later.

[habernac]

Wow, my friend finally found her poor Dad who suffers from dementia at a hospital in Lac La Biche. He was evacuated from a program at the YMCA and she was unable to contact anyone.