FORT MACKAY, Alta. (CP) - Hundreds of residents were forced from
their homes Wednesday when a forest fire burned to within five
kilometres of their northern Alberta hamlet.
The out-of-control blaze was south of the tiny community, about
400 kilometres north of Edmonton when officials told the 260
residents to leave about 3 p.m. local time. Strong winds were
fanning the fire westward, said provincial fire officials.
But not everyone felt the need to leave.
While most people rushed to leave, Bernadette Gladue, 52, said
she decided to stay in her home with her six-month-old
granddaughter.
"People were panicking and I asked them, `For what?'," she
said. "I was watering my lawn when everyone was passing by."
Gladue said she's seen a fair number of forest fires over the
years and this one is not close enough for her to worry about.
"Not for five kilometres, I won't run away for that."
Gladue said she could see big clouds of smoke south of the
hamlet but the air was fine, not smoky, even six hours after the
hamlet was evacuated.
The fire blackened 1.4 square kilometres of forest and heavy
smoke forced the closure of Highway 63, the main highway in and out
of the community. The Mildred Lake airstrip had to close due to the
blaze, says Alberta Sustainable Resources.
As well, about 1,300 Syncrude employees working at its Aurora
mine site were stuck at work due to the highway closure, said Randy
Provencale, spokesman for the crude oil producer.
But the oilsands company got a convoy of 15 buses to transport
their stranded employees on the smoky highway back to their homes
in Fort McMurray, Provencale said.
"We are in the process of getting them out," he said. "But we
are not sure how long that process is going to take because there
are a lot of vehicles lined up."
"We are monitoring it, but our intention is to have our
day-shift out there if we can."
The fire was also near the northern boundary of Syncrude's main
plant, said Rick Strickland, provincial forestry spokesman.
The 260 residents of Fort MacKay, along with residents on the
nearby First Nations reserve and 100 workers from an area oil camp,
were taken out of the area by bus to a hockey rink in Fort
McMurray.
It not known how fast the fire was burning but strong winds and
30 C temperatures were hampering firefighting efforts, said
Strickland.
A thunderstorm was expected Wednesday evening but officials were
unsure of how much rain it would bring. Lightning starting new
fires was also a concern, Strickland said.
Seven air tankers, five helicopters and 18 firefighters were
battling the blaze. Syncrude also sent two water trucks to help
with the blaze, Strickland said.
However, conditions slowed down some of the firefighting
equipment.
"There was heavy black smoke that really reduced our efforts
with the air tankers," Strickland said.
Bulldozers were also digging a protective trench around the
community.
It is not known when the residents will be able to return to
their homes.
"They are temporarily evacuated until it is safe to return to
the community," said Angela McGonigal, spokeswoman for the
regional municipality of Wood Buffalo.
Another forest fire Wednesday near Prince Albert, Sask., north
of Saskatoon, was burning out-of-control.
The fire had grown to more than half a square kilometre but
winds pushed the fire away from surrounding communities and there
were no evacuations.
In May 2002, a fire south of Fort McMurray forced the closure of
Highway 63 for two days leaving residents stranded.
In 1999, a fire north of Fort McMurray again closed Highway 63
and cut two oilsand mines off from the city.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
their homes Wednesday when a forest fire burned to within five
kilometres of their northern Alberta hamlet.
The out-of-control blaze was south of the tiny community, about
400 kilometres north of Edmonton when officials told the 260
residents to leave about 3 p.m. local time. Strong winds were
fanning the fire westward, said provincial fire officials.
But not everyone felt the need to leave.
While most people rushed to leave, Bernadette Gladue, 52, said
she decided to stay in her home with her six-month-old
granddaughter.
"People were panicking and I asked them, `For what?'," she
said. "I was watering my lawn when everyone was passing by."
Gladue said she's seen a fair number of forest fires over the
years and this one is not close enough for her to worry about.
"Not for five kilometres, I won't run away for that."
Gladue said she could see big clouds of smoke south of the
hamlet but the air was fine, not smoky, even six hours after the
hamlet was evacuated.
The fire blackened 1.4 square kilometres of forest and heavy
smoke forced the closure of Highway 63, the main highway in and out
of the community. The Mildred Lake airstrip had to close due to the
blaze, says Alberta Sustainable Resources.
As well, about 1,300 Syncrude employees working at its Aurora
mine site were stuck at work due to the highway closure, said Randy
Provencale, spokesman for the crude oil producer.
But the oilsands company got a convoy of 15 buses to transport
their stranded employees on the smoky highway back to their homes
in Fort McMurray, Provencale said.
"We are in the process of getting them out," he said. "But we
are not sure how long that process is going to take because there
are a lot of vehicles lined up."
"We are monitoring it, but our intention is to have our
day-shift out there if we can."
The fire was also near the northern boundary of Syncrude's main
plant, said Rick Strickland, provincial forestry spokesman.
The 260 residents of Fort MacKay, along with residents on the
nearby First Nations reserve and 100 workers from an area oil camp,
were taken out of the area by bus to a hockey rink in Fort
McMurray.
It not known how fast the fire was burning but strong winds and
30 C temperatures were hampering firefighting efforts, said
Strickland.
A thunderstorm was expected Wednesday evening but officials were
unsure of how much rain it would bring. Lightning starting new
fires was also a concern, Strickland said.
Seven air tankers, five helicopters and 18 firefighters were
battling the blaze. Syncrude also sent two water trucks to help
with the blaze, Strickland said.
However, conditions slowed down some of the firefighting
equipment.
"There was heavy black smoke that really reduced our efforts
with the air tankers," Strickland said.
Bulldozers were also digging a protective trench around the
community.
It is not known when the residents will be able to return to
their homes.
"They are temporarily evacuated until it is safe to return to
the community," said Angela McGonigal, spokeswoman for the
regional municipality of Wood Buffalo.
Another forest fire Wednesday near Prince Albert, Sask., north
of Saskatoon, was burning out-of-control.
The fire had grown to more than half a square kilometre but
winds pushed the fire away from surrounding communities and there
were no evacuations.
In May 2002, a fire south of Fort McMurray forced the closure of
Highway 63 for two days leaving residents stranded.
In 1999, a fire north of Fort McMurray again closed Highway 63
and cut two oilsand mines off from the city.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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