The Government of Alberta announced a plan to airlift approximately 8,000 people.

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# Alberta issues province-wide fire ban as crews battle flames in Fort McMurray

Despite the massive assault on the fires, they continue to spread.

By Peter EdwardsStar Reporter, and John CotterThe Canadian PressThu., May 5, 2016

FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.—Crews fighting to save Fort McMurray from rampaging flames water bombed the city Thursday to try to keep away a wildfire so intense it has spawned its own weather.

"It was creating its own high winds yesterday and even lightning was coming from the smoke clouds it created," Chad Morrison of Alberta Forestry told a briefing in Edmonton.

Officials could not update the number of structures that have burned — already at 1,600 — saying crews had not had the time.

"This is an extreme fire event," said Morrison.

"Our first priority, obviously, was the community and the homes as well as the critical infrastructure."

Morrison said there were 22 water bombers at work and more were coming in, including four from Quebec.

A wildfire moves towards the town of Anzac on Wednesday.

Anzac was set up as an evacuation centre for those ordered to leave Fort McMurray.

A burned-out truck in the Beacon Hill area of Fort McMurray on Wednesday.

Evacuees watch the wildfire near Fort McMurray on Wednesday.

The wildfire has already torched 1,600 homes and buildings.

"But let me be clear: air tankers are not going to stop this fire," he said.

"It is going to continue to push through these dry conditions until we actually get some significant rain."

Crews received a small break Thursday with temperatures forecast to fall to 16 C from the low 30s.

But low humidity and high winds were expected to keep the situation fluid and dangerous.

"I expect this fire to continue to grow," said Morrison.

Fort McMurray crisis belongs to the whole country: Editorial

The Star in Alberta: First Nation members recall frenzied evacuation

Video shows evacuee's terrifying wildfire escape

Exhausted Fort McMurray fire chief fights back tears

Photos: Wildfire forces more communities to evacuate

The risk in the rest of the province also remains high and a province-wide fire ban was issued Thursday afternoon.

Premier Rachel Notley told a news conference that officials cannot speculate on when it might be safe for residents to return to the city except that "it will not be a matter of days."

She said even when the fire situation is brought under control, officials will need time to assess buildings and infrastructure so people can be brought back safely.

"I know this experience is heartbreaking ... and a devastating experience for individuals and for the families that are affected," she said.

"I understand the Albertans that are affected by this tragedy are scared, and very tired, and very worried about their homes and what the future holds for themselves and their families.

Notley also said in coming days there will be more information about concrete aid for evacuees, including government-issued cash cards and temporary housing options.

She asked all evacuees "whether you're in the reception centre or you're staying in your friend's rec room" to register themselves either online or by phoning the Red Cross, adding it is crucial to the province's ability to assess what support everyone requires.

The fire, which had been menacing the oilsands capital since the weekend, rode a rapid shift in winds Tuesday afternoon to cut through the city on an east-west axis.

It divided the main road and sent 80,000 residents fleeing in opposite directions under a mandatory evacuation order.

Aided by high winds, scorching heat and low humidity, the fire grew from 75 square kilometres Tuesday to 100 square kilometres on Wednesday.

By Thursday it was almost nine times that at 850 square kilometres — roughly equivalent to the size of Calgary.

The fire remained wrapped around the west and southern edges of the city.

If Fort McMurray were the face of a clock, flames surrounded it from the numbers four to 11.

Evacuees began their second full day out of their homes.

About 25,000 remained in oilfield work camps north of the city, while the rest had moved south to stay in hotels, in campgrounds, with friends or in designated centres that included Edmonton.

The government said it would begin to move out the evacuees in the camps so that they could get more social support in the south.

Highway 63 is the only road through the city and those in the north were cut off when it was barricaded.

Scott Long with Alberta Emergency Management said the agency would move out the most vulnerable — about 8,000 or so — by air.

The plan was to send gasoline trucks in after that to fuel up vehicles for a trip through the city, once safe, and on to the south.

Fort McMurray is 435 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.

For members of Fort McMurray First Nation who escaped to Lac La Biche, the mandatory evacuation was frenzied, albeit expected.

For Stephanie Bird, it began when she received a knock on her door from her brother-in-law at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

"He told me everybody was getting evacuated and we had to leave now," she said.

The 28-year-old stuffed clothes for her family of four into a single suitcase and grabbed a mass of blankets and pillows.

Her only personal possessions were a few baby pictures and a computer hard drive, which she took just in case the house was looted.

In Ottawa, the federal government promised to match all private donations to the Red Cross.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walked across the floor of the House of Commons this morning to embrace interim opposition leader Rona Ambrose after she teared up while speaking of the devastation of the wildfire in her home province.

The natural disaster has prompted the largest fire-related evacuation in the province's history.

"It's a tough day for Albertans, but we will persevere," said Ambrose, the MP for the Alberta riding of Sturgeon River-Parkland.

Ambrose praised the federal government for keeping her in the loop and matching Red Cross donations.

She also urged the government to remember that infrastructure there will take years to rebuild.

Trudeau called images of the wildfire "nothing short of terrifying," but expressed confidence nonetheless in the nation's ability to rally.

"We are resilient," Trudeau said earlier.

"We are Canadians and we will make it through this most difficult time together."

The sentiments were echoed by NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, who said, "There are times in the House when we have to put everything else aside and pull together and this is one of those times."

Officials said there were 350 firefighters battling the blaze — 200 of whom were within the city keeping structures safe.

Strathcona County, east of Edmonton, is rotating two, 15-member crews to help battle the enormous wildfire.

The first batch left Sherwood Park on Tuesday night and have been working virtually flat-out since they arrived in the wee hours Wednesday.

They were set to head home on Thursday night.

The Strathcona fire department tweeted a photo of six firefighters sprawled on a lawn in Fort McMurray, with another reclining in the trunk of a van.

Deputy operations chief Devin Capcara said the picture was taken at about 2 p.m. on Wednesday during their first bit of rest.

"They took about a 15 to 20 minute break and then went right back to it," he said.

"Being there, knowing that things are burning, our guys don't like to take rest breaks so they've pretty much been on the trucks the whole time."

The military was on standby, but had not been called in except for helicopter support to rescue stranded residents.

In the hockey world, the St. Louis Blues and Blues Alumni plan to raise money to help the fire victims at Thursday's NHL playoff game against the Dallas Stars.

Fort McMurray is the hometown of Blues forward Scottie Upshall and the team plans a 50/50 raffle and silent auction to benefit evacuees.

"You're just worried about the safety of friends and family," Upshall said in a prepared statement.

"It's a great city, a city that's survived many years through some tough times.

For me, growing up there doesn't seem like too long ago, and the places that aren't standing anymore ... it'd be tough to take in.

As long as everyone is OK, that's the main thing."

The massive outpouring of support brought an emotional tweet from Melissa Blake, mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, which includes Fort McMurray.

"Had ti up my twitter font to max; hard to read through tears," she tweeted on Thursday morning.

"I don't cry for fear loss or horror, only kindness and there (is) SO MUCH"

The fire has proven to be as capricious as it has been hellacious, leveraging high winds to level neighbourhoods in the south and southwest, transforming homes that once housed families into smoky wastelands of concrete, rebar and ash.

Crews have managed to save critical infrastructure, such as the downtown, the hospital and the water treatment plant.

Fire threatened the airport Wednesday, but Long said it sustained "mild damage" and was still in operation.

Officials said they have yet to determine what caused the fire, although they know it started in a remote area about 15 kilometres from the city.

There have been no reports of fire-related deaths or injuries, although two people died in a head-on car crash on one of the secondary evacuation routes Wednesday.

With files from Michael Robinson and Peter Edwards, Toronto Star staff reporters

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People who fled Fort McMurray wildfire now evacuated from Anzac after blaze moves south | Edmonton Journal

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# People who fled Fort McMurray wildfire now evacuated from Anzac after blaze moves south

"What occurred in the afternoon with the weather was that the fire started creating momentum.

The intersection of highway 63 and the airport became threatened."

Published on: May 4, 2016 | Last Updated: May 4, 2016 11:00 PM MDT

Premier Rachel Notley speaks with media about the Fort McMurray fire outside the Anzac Recreation Centre on Wednesday May 4, 2016.

The Anzac Recreation Centre, Gregoire Lake Estates and Fort McMurray First Nation are now under a mandatory evacuation order.

Hundreds of evacuees from Fort McMurray were sent to Anzac on Tuesday after fleeing the city from the wildfire.

RCMP officers are going door-to-door and the evacuation is scheduled for 11 p.m.

Evacuees are being moved to Lac La Biche, about 280 kilometres south, or even further to Edmonton.

Why Anzac is being evac'd & why @BrianJeanWRP & @TanyYao broke camp.

— Vitor Marciano (@Vitormarciano) May 5, 2016

Mandatory Evacuation Order – May 4, 9:50 p.m. pic.twitter.com/TPVwsx2sJH

Check back here for the latest developments as the day progresses.

Reporting by Otiena Ellwand, Janet French, Emma Graney, Keith Gerein, Gordon Kent, Dave Lazzarino, Bill Mah, Vincent McDermott, Paige Parsons, Trevor Robb, Paula Simons, Elise Stolte

Fire crews in Fort McMurray are scrambling to douse three separate fires, one of which is inching closer to the Fort McMurray International Airport.

A 6 p.m. update provided by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo confirmed flames have jumped both sides of Highway 63 and Airport Road.

"Traffic is no longer moving north and south on Highway 63," said Dale Bendfeld, Wood Buffalo acting director of community and protective services.

As a result, local officials were forced to relocate the regional emergency operation centre from where they were situated at the airport to the Nexen Long Wig site just outside of Anzac.

Benfeld said the day started with fire crews working to help evacuate people north of the city, both by by air and by road.

Benfeld said there are another two fires burning in the area, one on the west side of Timberlea moving towards Parsons Creek, and another near Saline Creek to Clearwater and Draper Valley, near the Mackenzie Industrial Park.

Meanwhile, a thunderstorm east of Fort McMurray has caused over a dozen lightning strikes in the area.

"At around 5 p.m. there was a little storm that sparked up that gave about a dozen lightning strikes, maybe a few more … but it looks like it's dissipated now," Said Environment Canada meteorologist, Ross Macdonald.

"It's hard to say whether they were induced by the storm or the fire itself."

A cold front is making its way through Fort McMurray tonight and is expected to lower temperatures.

But at the same time, it's also bringing with it high westerly winds gusting close to 70 km/h.

"There's a few showers and thundershowers that have popped up, but it's just so darn dry that the precipitation is just not reaching the ground," said Macdonald.

"The winds are going to be keeping up throughout most of the evening and into the overnight hours as the front moves through."

The cold front does bring with it a small glimmer of good news as temperatures are expected to dip Thursday to 18 C.

"It'll be much, much cooler, which is at least a start," said Macdonald.

Premier Rachel Notley met with evacuees at a recovery centre in Anzac Wednesday evening to tell them her government and all Albertans are behind them.

"We may have a long road ahead of us, but they can count not only on the government, but the people of Alberta to support them," she said.

Wildfire conditions in and around Fort McMurray worsened throughout the day as heavy winds gusted and temperatures soared as expected, Notley said.

Firefighters won't be able to get a full sense of the scope of the damage until it slows down later tonight, she said.

A state of emergency has been declared to secure support from the federal government and coordinate resources, she said.

They are also working on getting health professionals into recovery centres.

Notley got a glimpse of the city from a helicopter, but said she couldn't make out much of the wreckage because of the smoke.

She said the biggest victory was getting residents out of the way of danger.

"Our cabinet is very concerned about making sure that people's safety and security is ensured and that is what we'll be working on every possible hour of the day," she said.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley speaks with media in Anzac about the wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alta., on Wednesday, May 4, 2016.

Daniel Pittman, 23, a resident of Fort McMurray, heckled Notley as she spoke to reporters, saying the government should have declared a state of emergency Tuesday.

"This has never happened to my hometown.

I've never seen a government act like this," he said.

Earlier, the province announced that it would match donations made to the Red Cross.

"We know Albertans are stepping up to help the people of Fort McMurray," Notley said in a press release.

"That's what Albertans do when people are in need.

The most effective thing people can do right now is make donations to the Red Cross, knowing our government will match those funds."

Donations can be made by going to the Red Cross website or by phoning 1-800-418-1111.

Check back here for the latest developments as the day progresses.

Reporting by Otiena Ellwand, Janet French, Emma Graney, Keith Gerein, Gordon Kent, Dave Lazzarino, Bill Mah, Vincent McDermott, Paige Parsons, Paula Simons, Elise Stolte

There's no word yet on what caused the giant wildfire, which early Wednesday morning was estimated at 10,000 hectares.

Investigators have pinpointed where it began — a heavily forested area just south of the Athabasca River, southwest of the city — and are calling it the Horse River Fire.

Senior wildfire manager Chad Morrison told a Wednesday afternoon briefing that it will be a couple of days before it is known what sparked the fire.

"At this time of year, human causes are generally what we see, but we've also had lighting fires early in the season, so at this point we're working with investigators," he said.

Around 10,000 evacuees are in work camps north of the city.

Scott Long, executive director of Alberta Emergency Management Agency, would have preferred evacuees all head south, but said that wasn't an option at the time.

"When you have 80,000 people leave in a relatively short period of time, it's very hard to control," Long said.

He said as soon as the situation has stabilized, one of the first priorities is getting people out of the northern camps and moving them south.

For the time being, a military aircraft will deliver food, water and other needed supplies to the camps on Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

Fire breached the intersection at Highway 63 and 69, meaning no traffic can pass northbound or southbound.

On Twitter, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo was reminding people to stop trying to go into the city.

Meanwhile, Lac la Biche RCMP are at the scene of a fatal collision on Highway 881 near Range Road 94.

Two people were killed after an SUV collided with a tractor trailer unit.

The two occupants of the SUV were declared dead at the scene.

Highway 881 is impassable, traffic is being rerouted.

The accident occurred in the region near the Saprae Creek subdivision, which at 4:30 p.m. was ordered to evacuate by the RMWB.

Residents of this community southeast of Fort McMurray were asked to go to Fire Hall 5.

The Al-Rashid Mosque at 13070 113 Street in Edmonton decided Tuesday night to open its doors for Fort McMurray evacuees.

Omar Najmeddine, Al-Rashid's executive director, says that because the mosque had already done so much work to greet Syrian refugees, it has supplies and a long list of volunteers ready to help.

Najmeddine says that volunteers spent all night at the mosque, welcoming exhausting families as they arrived, through the night.

By 10 AM Wednesday, they'd welcomed more than two dozen people, although they're expecting more, as the Expo Centre fills up.

If need be, they have room for 2,000 people in the main mosque building.

But Najmeddine says they're also preparing some houses nearby for families who need someplace longer-term.

On Tuesday, volunteers were greeting new arrivals with toothbrushes and toothpaste, Timbits, fatayer stuffed flatbread, and a pile of Korans.

But Najmeddine stresses that the mosque is welcoming any evacuee who needs a place to stay, not just people from Fort McMurray's sizeable Muslim community.

"And we're having more mattresses delivered this afternoon, Inshallah."

The Alberta government declared a provincial state of emergency due to a devastating forest fires that has destroyed 1,600 homes in Fort McMurray and promoted the largest evacuation due to fire in Alberta's history.

In an afternoon news conference, Municipal Affairs Minister Danielle Larivee says that will allow the province to request additional resources from outside the province.

She says the fire is currently burning in residential areas and crews are fighting in challenging and volatile conditions.

Scott Long of Alberta Emergency Management says flames are being kept from the downtown area thanks to the "herculean" efforts of firefighters.

There has also been a fatal traffic accident on a secondary highway being used by evacuees, which killed two people.

Larivee says it's not clear yet whether the collision is connected to the fire.

States of local emergency have also been declared by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation.

The Canadian military has deployed helicopters and transport planes in response to the raging wildfire that has incinerated parts of Fort McMurray, Alta. — with more support to come as needed.

Four CH-146 Griffon helicopters are en route to perform evacuations in surrounding communities under threat from the raging blaze.

Another two choppers are on standby at 408 Squadron in Edmonton.

Additionally, a C-130J Hercules has been moved to the nearby military airfield in Cold Lake, while a second Hercules and a C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift transport on standby at the country's largest military airbase in Trenton, Ont., to aid in the movement of firefighters and equipment.

Brig.-Gen. Wayne Eyre, who is in charge of the 3rd Canadian Division and the military commander for Western Canada, called it a "very dynamic" situation, saying planners are looking ahead at what kind of requests could come next.

At one point Tuesday night when it didn't look like a large-scale evacuation of the city would be possible, the air force was on standby with transport aircraft to go in, Eyre said from Edmonton during a conference call.

That didn't prove necessary, with the reopening of Highway 63.

Eyre said the Alberta government is soon expected to formally ask other provinces and northern U.S. states for help in fighting the fire; the air force could play a role in getting crews to where they are needed.

Updated satellite imagery and when fire activity was last detected (VIIRS) #ymmfire pic.twitter.com/BTEL3siTxA

— Carolyn Rennie (@Carolyn_Rennie_) May 4, 2016

Eyre said the Hercules is well-suited for landing on remote roads and could be employed getting firefighters into isolated locations.

At the moment, no ground troops — either regular or reserve forces — have been deployed, but Eyre did not rule it out.

The army deployed up to 2,300 troops in to Alberta in June 2013 to battle severe floods in the western portion of the province, where they cleared debris and built berms to keep the water back in Canmore, High River and Red Deer.

Last year, troops were sent in to Saskatchewan to help battle wildfires.

In Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government will provide all possible assistance to Alberta, ranging from satellite intelligence to help track to the fire to long-term financial help aimed at recovery.

Canada is a country of people who help each other in challenging times, Trudeau told his caucus Wednesday.

"I've been dealing with offers of support and calls from the Atlantic provinces, all the way out to B.C., as people are looking for how they can support their friends and neighbours as people go through this difficult time."

Trudeau urged people with friends or family in Fort McMurray to make sure they are OK and ask what help they need.

Federal leaders called on Canadians who want to help to donate to the Red Cross.

The prime minister said he has already spoken to Alberta Premier Rachel Notley to offer his government's "total support."

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale stressed that helping Fort McMurray would be a long-term project.

"We're dealing with people's emergency needs today but the recovery from this situation is going to take a considerable amount of time."

Among the other federal assistance he outlined:

• Co-ordination and monitoring through the Government Operations Centre;

• Satellite and geomatics support to help the province track where the fire is moving;

• Determining what firefighting assets are available across the country;

• Stockpiling living supplies, cots and bedding in collaboration with the Red Cross;

• Efforts to restore communication systems following the destruction of cell-phone towers;

• Disaster financial assistance arrangements, through which the government begins to cost-share the expense of recovery.

Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi, an Edmonton MP, called the disaster heartbreaking.

"I know people who have fled the situation.

Two of my friends arrived home safely in Edmonton.

It took them nine hours to get there, but they're home — home safe.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley tweets out photos and comments after flying over the burning, smoking city of Fort McMurray.

"The view from the air is heartbreaking," she said.

"Thanks to everyone working hard to get this fire under control."

Thanks to everyone working hard to get this fire under control.

— Rachel Notley (@RachelNotley) May 4, 2016

On Wednesday, NASA — National Aeronautics and Space Administration — also released some satellite photos of the Fort McMurray area.

The image was shot at about 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, when the fire was burning southwest of downtown.

The image combines shortwave infrared, near infrared, and green light (OLI bands 7-5-3).

According to the NASA website, the near- and short-wave infrared helps penetrate clouds and smoke to reveal the hot spots associated with active fires, which appear red.

Smoke appears white and burned area appears brown.

A satellite photo of northern Alberta wildfires before they hit Fort McMurray.

Ian MacDonald, a fly-in worker from Newfoundland, relaxes at Gregoire Lake as plumes of smoke billow up behind him on May 4, 2016.

With plumes of dark smoke billowing on the other side of Gregoire Lake, Ian MacDonald, 44, sat and relaxed with a beer.

He spent Tuesday night in Fort McMurray where he saw the wildfire jump the Athabasca River and turn the city into a "total war zone."

"It reminds me of videos you see of Iraq.

"I don't know how they expect everyone to go back to work when where are they going to live?" he said.

The oilsands or the people who live there?"

"I'm not too concerned for myself," said the fly-in worker from Newfoundland.

"I've got food, water and a place to sleep — the front seat of my truck."

Brian Jean, Wildrose Leader and MLA for Fort McMurray-Conklin, told Postmedia that he saw residents still in the city Wednesday.

"People are still around here, and they need to get out," Jean said.

He said he drove past his house on Wednesday to find it, and everything he owns, reduced to ashes.

"I lost my son last year and that was 1,000 times worse.

It's why people need to evacuate, need to get out.

You can replace stuff, things, but you can't replace a life."

Jean praised the work of first responders.

"If we can get through this — evacuating 80,000 people, getting them out — then it's a success story, a miracle," he said, again repeating his plea for everyone to leave.

The remains of the home of Wildrose leader Brian Jean, whose home was destroyed in the Fort McMurray wildfires that swept through the city on Tuesday, May 3, 2016.

Premier Rachel Notley is flying to Fort McMurray Wednesday to assess the extent of the damage and thank front line workers.

"We all know this is the single biggest evacuation that we've seen from a fire, and the single biggest overall impact on a community in the history of the province," she said.

Notley said the government will need to be "strategic, clear and focused" in its response to the disaster and understanding exactly what the city and its people need.

"We'll get a clear sense of that, a clear inventory, then we'll ensure that communities are supported in the way they need to be," she said.

"At the end of the day, we are going to support the Albertans impacted by this fire, and people need to know they can count on their government to do that."

Notley said a Memorandum of Understanding between the province and national defence was signed Wednesday morning, and military helicopters for search and rescue are already in the city.

Further support such as ground troops will be delivered as needed, once the fire is under control and the scale of the crisis becomes clear.

Notley said no state of emergency has been declared because the authorities granted by that declaration are powers the province already has.

Also on Wednesday morning, cabinet approved $2 million in funding for the Red Cross and will match donations.

"I'd encourage all Albertans who want to help, the most effective thing they can do is to contact Red Cross and make donations," Notley said.

At least two major Alberta landlords are offering to help people displaced by the Fort McMurray fire.

Mainstreet Equity says it will provide 100 apartments with at least three months of free rent in suites in Edmonton, Calgary and Saskatoon, where the company has units available.

The firm provided 50 suites in Edmonton in 2011 to victims of the Slave Lake fire.

Meanwhile, Boardwalk Rental Communities is providing tenants in its 352 Fort McMurray suites with $1,500 cash as a reimbursement of May's rent.

And for all the Fort McMurray residents forced to leave their homes or move belongings, U-Haul is offering 30 days of free self-storage and container use.

Queen Elizabeth has sent condolences about the wildfire to Governor General David Johnston.

"Prince Phillip and I were shocked and saddened by news of the wildfires that are causing such devastation to Fort McMurray.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been affected, and we send our heartfelt thanks to the firefighters and other emergency workers," said the Queen in a tweeted statement on Wednesday.

A message from The Queen to @GGDavidJohnston following the news of the wild fires in #FortMcMurray #Canada pic.twitter.com/82ZJpjLy5j

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 4, 2016

Headquarters for emergency personnel set up on Airport Road have had to relocate to near Anzac, Alta.

A spokesperson for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo said the blaze was threatening the headquarters from two directions and that it is being moved to Nexen's Long Lake facility.

A second wildfire has sprung up and is affecting properties on the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation Reserve in Lac Ste. Anne County.

Alberta Emergency Alerts describes the fire as "serious."

Any residents north of the reserve between the western boundary of Highway 765, east to Range Road 41, North to Township Road 560, are being asked to prepare for evacuation with one hour notice.

Premier Rachel Notley is expected to land in Fort McMurray shortly.

Notley was scheduled to meet with other western premiers in Vancouver today, but deputy premier Sarah Hoffman will attend instead.

There are approximately 250 firefighters battling the wildfire burning in Fort McMurray.

Fire has razed more than half of the houses in multiple neighbourhoods, according to an update from the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.

In Waterways, 90 per cent of the homes have been lost and 50 per cent of the homes in Abasand have been destroyed, including to kitty-corner from the hospital.

Losses in Beacon Hill have been adjusted to 70 per cent, and more than 30 houses are believed to be gone in Wood Buffalo.

Wildfire Update: May 4, 12:30 p.m. #ymmfire pic.twitter.com/VvwIwxwzIM

As of Wednesday morning, 101 firefighters, 11 helicopters and four air tankers are battling the blaze around Fort McMurray, said Alberta Forestry Spokesman Travis Fairweather.

The provincial government has requested help from other provinces and states.

So far, one fire engine is on its way from Idaho, he said.

Across Alberta, 296 firefighters are working on active blazes.

They're part of a contingent of 1,008 firefighters across the province ready to work.

Three major companies have curtailed their oilsands operations north of Fort McMurray because of the impact on staff from forest fires.

Shell shut down production at its Albian Sands mining operations, about 95 kilometres north of the city, so it can focus on getting families out of the region, spokesman Cameron Yost said in an email Wednesday.

"Our work camp, the Albian Village, is now open to all evacuated Fort McMurray residents who need a safe place to stay and we are evacuating non-essential staff to make room for those who need it most.

Suncor has taken similar steps at its base plant, about 25 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, as well as the MacKay River and Firebag in situ facilities further north.

Syncrude has also reduced operations, which are primarily located at the Mildred Lake and Aurora sites 35 kilometres to 60 kilometres north of the city.

Operations at Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.'s 130,000-barrel-a-day Horizon oilsands mine and upgrader, about 80 kilometres north of the city, remain stable, the company said in a news release.

Enbridge Inc., one of the region's major pipeline operators, said its operations and facilities haven't been affected, although it continues to monitor the situation.

All kinds of efforts are underway to help out the evacuees who have fled Fort McMurray, including a gesture by an Edmonton strip club.

Pinky's Show Palace is offering free steak dinners this week to anyone who has been displaced by the wildfire.

Dr. Verna Yiu said 105 patients and clients of the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre were evacuated in less than two hours Tuesday evening, including nine babies in the neonatal unit.

They were taken by bus to an airfield at an oilsands site north of the city.

Most were then loaded onto a WestJet 737 aircraft and flown overnight to Edmonton, where they have been transferred to a number of different hospitals and continuing care centres.

The remaining patients were airlifted at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Yiu said all the newborns were with their mothers for the journey.

Hospital care teams stayed with the patients during the evacuation.

"We are very proud our staff," Yiu said.

And don't forget those employees and staff also have their own families to worry about."

She said AHS has booked 92 hotel rooms in Edmonton to temporarily house the affected Fort McMurray health workers, and is helping to ensure they connect with their relatives.

The hospital, which is in Fort McMurray's lower townsite, was still standing as of noon Wednesday, though there are concerns it could be threatened by fire later in the day.

As evacuees continue to move out of the fire-ravaged Fort McMurray area, people looking for routes north aren't facing an easy task either.

All commercial flights in and out of Fort McMurray International Airport were suspended.

Control points have been set up on highways 63 and 881 northbound and the RCMP aren't letting anyone past the junction of those two roads.

The RCMP says it has deployed 300 officers from across Alberta to assist with the wildfire situation near Fort McMurray.

People in the communities where evacuees have landed are striving to keep up with the needs of the people fleeing.

Candace Sturgess, owner of Anzac Grocery, said she's had about 800 customers walk through her door since Tuesday morning.

A long line of people waited outside the small shop in the hot sun Wednesday.

The store was "obliterated" of food and water supplies after 8,000 evacuees descended on the town of 700, but has since been restocked.

She said she's trying to be a "hub" of comfort for evacuees and work with other groups to help people in the evacuation centre.

I haven't slept since yesterday morning," she said.

Sturgess knows what it's like to be a fire victim and lose all your possessions.

Two years ago, her garage and part of her trailer home went up in flames.

The uncertainty is the most difficult part, she said.

"With all the unknowns, the least I can do is provide people with bottled water and food," she said.

She said the mood in town has improved since yesterday and she's witnessed some reunions between family members who were split up in the chaos.

The outpouring of offers of help from across the province continue.

Premier of Newfoundland and Labradour Dwight Ball offered up the support of his province Wednesday morning.

"We will coordinate our actions through our Mutual Aid Resource Sharing Agreement with the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, through the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency to make our resources available," Ball said in a statement Wednesday.

Lloydminster campus of Lakeland College is also prepared to accept up to 300 evacuees.

The school also has room for at least 80 horses, dogs, and other animals if need be, and potentially more if there's a large demand

The Canadian Forces have sent four search and rescue helicopters from Edmonton and Cold Lake, which can be used to tactical support and rescues.

They're also sending one Hercules plane to CFB Cold Lake to wait on standby in case it's needed.

The cargo plane, a mainstay of the Canadian Forces fleet, is able to land on roads and at smaller airports.

"Right now the ask is for helicopters to help with the evacuation," said Brigadier-General Wayne Eyre, Commander of the Joint Task Force West.

Regular troops are also on standby, ready to deploy on 12 hours notice, if needed, he said.

We come in when other forces are exhausted."

Following the evacuation of 83,000 people, facilities across the province are working to accommodate displaced residents.

The Anzac Recreation Centre, 36 km southeast of Fort McMurray, swelled with evacuees Tuesday afternoon, with an estimated 2,500 seeking support by 7 a.m. Wednesday.

"There's a lot of people not knowing what's going on … we're just trying to get them as comfy as we can," said volunteer Kevin Tremblay, 47, who lives in the hamlet of 700 and stepped up to help out.

The centre is offering respite, including breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as transportation to and from nearby work camps offering beds to evacuees.

The University of Alberta is preparing itself to act as a secondary reception site for evacuees, should the province require more beds.

In an emailed statement, the school said the crisis management team and reception centre team are on standby.

The U of A said it has also reached out to offer support to Keyano College.

A boil water advisory has been issued for the entire Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo region, including camps.

A police escort was needed to get Edmonton fire crews to Fort McMurray overnight Tuesday as evacuees streamed south on all lanes.

A total 19 firefighters from Edmonton arrived at 5 a.m.

Edmonton police "provided us an escort, which was really important because there were a number of vehicles heading south in the northbound lanes on Highway 63.

That EPS escort kept our crews safe," said Edmonton Fire Chief Ken Block, giving an update to council Wednesday morning.

They took four fire trucks, two Edmonton Transit buses to carry supplies and a fuel truck with a backup supply of diesel.

"Our crews are on the ground in Fort McMurray.

The latest I have from Fort McMurray is they'll likely need us for at least a week," said Block.

Block said Wednesday is expected to be another rough day, with high winds and very dry conditions feeding the flames.

"This is going to be very challenging for the next few days."

During a morning update Alberta Forestry spokesman Bernie Schmitte said the blaze has grown to 10,000 hectares, and that all efforts to fight the fire have failed.

He added that police are still patrolling to look for to get stragglers, and said that Timberlea and Draper are priority areas.

However, it's believed the city has been emptied.

"We are preparing for a bad day today," Fort McMurray Fire Chief Darby Allen said, also speaking at the update

Emergency personnel are headquartered at Airport Road, and are prepared to relocate if necessary.

Allen said that crews spent all night at work in town, and that all structure fires were extinguished.

He said the municipality is looking at ways of getting evacuees south, and said they are not even considering letting people back in.

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Mayor Melissa Blake also addressed the media, and commended citizens of Fort McMurray for "staying strong".

"Be the brave people that I know you are," the mayor said.

Meanwhile, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley also spoke about the wildfire situation from Edmonton, and said Cabinet has approved upfront funding for Red Cross, and that the government will be matching donations.

"Our province is strong and we will get through this," Notley said.

The premier said that 1,600 structures have been destroyed in the blaze so far.

She said a memorandum of understanding has been signed with the military, and that resources are now being organized.

Scott Long of Alberta Emergency Management joined the premier at the news conference and said that a convoy of 88 firefighters and 22 trucks from around the province arrived around 3 a.m. and immediately went to work, with efforts focused on downtown Fort McMurray.

In Edmonton, a reception centre for evacuees is open.

As of 9 a.m., there were about 200 evacuees who had been offered cots, food and drink.

According to Northlands CEO and President Tim Reid, the facility is prepped for 1,300 people, but could quickly expand that to accommodate 5,000 people if needed.

He also said Northlands is able to accept animals.

"Because we are an agricultural society, we receive pets all the time.

And with racing on the go, we actually have veterinarians on-site, and so we are receiving animals, those that come with owners or those that come via other means, like the SPCA," Reid said.

Following a morning visit to the centre, Mayor Don Iveson said the city is prepared to offer further aid if needed.

"We're standing by to provide whatever assistance is needed," Iveson said.

"But certainly, as a hub for northern Alberta, we stand ready in this kind of situation to support families who are affected by this tragedy."

Iveson added that there has been an outpouring of support from Edmontonians, and that many evacuees have found shelter with friends or family in the city.

He said that for people who perhaps don't know anyone affected, the best way to help is through a cash donation.

"The best thing they can do is make a cash donation to the Red Cross, which has all of the supplies but needs to now replenish those supplies," Iveson said.

In a statement Wednesday morning, Canada Post said service has been suspended to Fort McMurray.

The federal postal agency said it is working on contingency measures and that all mail and parcels will be held securely in Edmonton.

Service alert for #FortMcMurray, Alberta.

— Canada Post (@canadapostcorp) May 4, 2016

From Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government will provide all possible assistance to Alberta as wildfires ravage Fort McMurray.

Trudeau told his caucus that Canada is a country of people who support each other in difficult times.

The prime minister says he has already spoken to Notley to offer his government's support.

PM Trudeau says federal government's thoughts are with Fort McMurray residents.

Government offers "total support" to Alberta govt.

— Jason Fekete (@jasonfekete) May 4, 2016

Federal defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, in a conference call from Germany early Wednesday, said a formal request for assistance has been received from the Alberta government.

What form that will take — at least on the military side — is still being determined and National Defence is expecting to hear soon from the province about the kind of equipment and personnel required.

The office of Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, the federal focal point for assistance, is expected to provide more details later Wednesday.

The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo reinforces the message Fort McMurray is still under an evacuation order and that people are not to return to the area.

Evacuation order is still in effect for all of Fort McMurray.

Residents are not able to return to their homes.

Officials estimate 17,000 citizens fled north of Fort McMurray to find shelter at industrial sites.

Another 35,000 headed south, including 18,000 people en route to Edmonton.

On Wednesday morning, the Alberta government took to social media to say that it would be escorting a fuel tanker along Highway 63 to help people who have been stranded without gas.

Traffic was bumper-to-bumper Tuesday night as people packed families and pets into cars, trucks and campers.

Lineups snaked around gas stations and late in the evening, RCMP were advising they would travel the highway with gas to assist stranded motorists.

Residents reported on Twitter Tuesday night that Fort McMurray gas stations had run out of fuel.

AB Transportation is escorting a fuel tanker on Hwy 63 to assist stranded motorists.

— AB Transportation (@ABTransComm) May 4, 2016

The City of Edmonton said 60 evacuees had arrived at Northlands in Edmonton by 6 a.m. Cots, food and water are available to any fleeing residents that can make their way to Alberta's capital city.

"Anything that we can do to help the city of Fort McMurray through this challenging time, it's a stressful upheaval, we will do that," said Lori Cote, manager of public relations for Northlands, Tuesday night.

Northlands got the call for help from the City of Edmonton at around 9 p.m. and had its doors open to help within two hours.

Edmonton Emergency Service Response Team personnel had cots set up for up to 100 evacuees, who will also have access to washrooms, showers, food and hot beverages.

"We're working directly with the Red Cross so what is needed we'll do our best to provide until such time that it's no longer needed, Cote said.

Another evacuation centre has been set up in Lac La Biche.

The Regional Municipality said Wednesday 80 per cent of the homes in the Beacon Hill neighbourhood have been destroyed.

There was also destruction in the Abasand and Waterways areas.

Wood Buffalo is reported as damaged, but not as severely as Beacon Hill.

A dozen trailers were lost on McKinlay Crescent in Timberlea, two houses are gone in Dickinsfield and one house each has burned in Grayling Terrace, downtown and Thickwood.

Damage was still being assessed for Draper.

Residences were not affected in Gregoire and Saline Creek.

Wildfire Update – May 4, 4 a.m. Residential damage assessment (approximate) #ymmfire #ymm pic.twitter.com/X8t2Fr3NF8

Late Tuesday, officials were predicting "a more intense burning day" on Wednesday as strong wind gusts and high temperatures were expected to persist.

The forecast high temperature today in Fort McMurray is 30 C.

Night fell Tuesday with fires having damaged many parts of the city of 83,000 people.

"We are firefighting as we speak and homes are on fire as we speak," Wood Buffalo fire chief Darby Allen said during a 10 p.m. news conference Tuesday.

"It's not a question of how far away it is any more, it's here."

A fire of about 1,250 hectares had menaced the southwest entrance to Fort McMurray since the Sunday, putting small pockets of the city, located about 435 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, on evacuation alert.

By 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo announced all of Fort McMurray had to leave.

Fort McMurray's geography complicated the evacuation.

Highway 63 is the only route in or out — north and south.

Hundreds of trucks, cars, motorcycles and mobile homes had pulled over to the side of the highway, suffering from engines choked by smoke or running low on gas.

Emergency officials said Tuesday night that Fort McMurray, and many of the surrounding communities, were emptied of gas.

Traffic was bumper-to-bumper as people packed families and pets into cars, trucks and campers.

Lineups snaked around gas stations and late in the evening Tuesday, RCMP were advising they would travel the highway with gas to assist stranded motorists.

And work camps to the north of Fort McMurray where evacuees were being directed, such as the Noralta Lodge, reported they were filling up Tuesday evening.

Despite the mass evacuation, there were no reports of serious injuries as of Tuesday night.

Alberta Health Services said 105 patients were hurriedly removed from the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre early Tuesday evening.

They were to be moved to Edmonton overnight after a AHS managed to arrange for a 737 to collect patients from a landing strip in the far north.

The last time Alberta faced a fire-related evacuation of this magnitude was in 2011, when nearly 9,000 people were forced from Slave Lake and nearby communities for 12 days after a wildfire caught the community by surprise on May 14, 2011, and destroyed hundreds of homes.

A cold front is expected to hit Fort McMurray mid-afternoon Wednesday and emergency officials expect the day will continue to be focused on fighting fires.

Emergency officials said there were 150 firefighters in the Fort McMurray area Tuesday and 70-to-80 were coming.

The municipality has received offers of help from across the country, including Edmonton, and has asked for more assistance in the form of equipment, and also supplies of food, water and fuel.

The municipality asked for help from the Canadian military.

"We're predicting some gusty winds," said Bernie Schmitte, wildfire manager at Alberta Agriculture and Forestry said of the Wednesday forecast.

"We'll have to see what comes of that but we are definitely going to be challenged."

Graham Thomson: Fort McMurray wildfire hasn't been contained but neither has...

Following the Slave Lake fire, Alberta devised a plan to contain...

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Fire progression.:Spread to Fort McMurray.

Evacuees who travelled north of Fort McMurray were advised to stay where they were, and not to come south on Highway 63 as the fire was still burning out of control. A boil-water advisory was issued for the entire area just after 11 a.m. (17:00 UTC). At 4:05 p.m. (22:05 UTC) the fire crossed Highway 63 at Airport Road (formerly Highway 69), south of Fort McMurray, and threatened the international airport, which had suspended commercial operations earlier in the day. The fire also forced the re-location of the Regional Emergency Operations Centre, which was originally in the vicinity of the airport. On May 4, the fire was found to be producing lightning and pyrocumulus clouds due to its heat and large size, which added to the risk of more fires. The fires became large enough to create a firestorm, creating its own weather in the form of wind influxes and lightning.
 The fire continued to spread south on May 5 across 85,000 hectares (210,000 acres) and forcing additional evacuations in the communities of Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates and the Fort McMurray First Nation. These communities had accepted over 8,000 people during the initial evacuations.