Residents of Fort McMurray were ordered to evacuate late Tuesday as a wildfire threatened the city, which lies in Canada’s oil sands region.
The entire population of about 80,000 was put under a mandatory evacuation order at 6:20 p.m. as the fire that started to the southwest of Fort McMurray advanced towards the city. “This is the biggest evacuation we have seen in the history of the province in terms of fire,” Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said at a news conference, according to Reuters.
Fleeing residents have congested Highway 63, the major artery to and from the city. The route’s southern arm was cut off by the blaze, according to Reuters. Some flights have been cancelled at the Fort McMurray airport.
The blaze was first discovered on May 1, and is expected to burn more intensely on Wednesday, Reuters reported the assistant deputy minister of Alberta’s Forestry Division as saying. Alberta has appealed to neighboring provinces to help control the fire and direct residents to safety.
[Reuters]
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Mark Rivett-Carnac at mark.rivett-carnac@timeasia.com