Fire in Ft McMurray Alberta.
 

I know we have some members who live there. The grass fire has currently destroyed a large portion of the city of 80000. All have been evacuated.
My heart aches for them.

I was near a CA fire called the Tri-State fire so I know how difficult it is to evacuate and worry about your home, pets and treasure items. My heart aches for them too.

how painful that must be! difficult even just looking at the news on TV. all the people loosing everything they have, and the workers trying to do what they can. So devastating!

What a horror! 80k, that's a good size city......have not seen this on tv, wonder why....please keep us posted.

with so much technology these days, one would think there would be an easier way to fight these huge fires......

I have family there. We have been in touch with them. They were evacuated yesterday afternoon and are safe.
Some of the images/videos coming from there are terrifying.


http://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/video/...ire/vi-BBsDCr3

I read this yesterday and immediately thought of our family here at the QB. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone effected.

Prayers and hugs!!

Yikes! I have not heard anything about this which surprises me. Has it not been on the news in the US or have I just missed it? The video and photos are terrifying as tapper said and devastating to see!!! I am fearful for all involved. Although I am sure there have been and will be homes and businesses lost, I can only pray that no lives will be lost. My heart goes out to all involved and to those who have loved ones there.

Isn't it very early in the year for wildfires? Prayers for all affected.

Not necessarily, around here (Central Oregon) fire season can start any time. Several factors come into play as to when the USDF determines when that will be. If we had a dry winter (less snow or rain), no rainfall and high temps('70s and above) for a week or so, how dry the forest is. Right now they area doing a massive cleaning and thinning out of the trees in our neck of the woods. Doing prescribed burns is how they try to reduce the fuel a fire needs.

California it seems is in a constant state of fire alertness. It's a wonder they have anything left to burn with the amount of fires they have per year.

"California it seems is in a constant state of fire alertness. It's a wonder they have anything left to burn with the amount of fires they have per year."

California has 4 seasons / fire, flood, riots, earthquakes

This is so awful, I have been wondering how members of this Board could get quilts to those who have lost everything. Anyone have ideas? I know it is a bit soon to act, but oh, how devastating.

Virtually the entire town is gone, no real promise of control of the fire yet and thousands evacuated, not knowing what's lost or left. This will be and is devastating. We'll be donating from this household and hopefully others will too - the Canadian Red Cross is coordinating the efforts and the federal government is going to match funds....

According to the news in UK. ALTHOUGH people have moved out of the city they are due to be airlifted to a safer place. Heard this about 6.00 am.
you feel for them let's hope they all reach safety.

they have begun convoys to escort people that were stranded in the oil sands and the work camps. The images we see are just unimaginable and heartbreaking. I'm most impressed with the fact that the evacuations have been pretty calm for the most part. If people had allowed themselves to panic, it would have been so much worse. So far, loss of human life seems to be limited to two car accidents,while trying to escape the fire.

I'm from the Atlantic Provinces, so physically a long way from there. But many, many people from this area have moved or travel there to work for months at a time. They are very much in our thoughts.

The first link I'm posting are maps that Macleans made that superimpose the size of the fire zone over maps of other cities to really get an appreciation for the size of the fire. Yesterday morning they said it was 10 times the size of Manhattan. The fire zone is now over 100 000 hectares would now encompass a great portion of New York.

http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/h...mcmurray-fire/

The next in the Huffington Post shows fire fighters passed out on a lawn. I can't even begin to imagine the exhaustion all of the first responders are experiencing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/05...n_9853594.html

The third is a live blog, if anyone wants to keep an eye on developments.

http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives...wildfire-may5/

Prayers for all and rain.

I think you have just missed it because it has been on the national evening news and on cable programs every day with updates.

Yes, you are probably right as I don't watch much TV and I stay away from the TV/Cable news shows during this hot political season. So I do miss a lot of what is going on around the world but the current political scene just makes me want to run away and find a cave somewhere to live in. I do see where someone has posted a need for quilts and such for the Ft. McMurray residents who have lost .... well, everything! That always restores my faith in humans .... so maybe I will stick around for now.

I am so sad and scared for them. I just keep praying for safety and rain.

The fires continue to burn, but have turned to the forest rather than the city. Most everyone is safe, although apparently there are a few that did not evacuate as ordered. There has been so much kindness and generousity shown that it is heartwarming. The fireman and police are heroes, as are the teachers and nurses who helped get everyone to safety. Although this is a terrible disaster, it is heartwarming to see how people can do great kindness toward others.

I have friends and family, who do not live at Fort Mac but in surrounding areas, and am thankful for thier safety, but realize too that this tragedy is very widespread and is being felt by all of Alberta.

We'll definitely send positive thought to your friends and family Fatquarters.

I am heart sick for the folks in Ft. McMurray -- it is hard for me to imagine what those folks have been going through. I have been praying for them.