Fire officials: 2,400 structures in Fort McMurray burned in wildfire

CTV's Breanna Karstens-Smith shared this photo of the scorched trees while touring Fort McMurray, Alta., on Monday, May 9, 2016. (@BreannaCTV)

Days after residents of Fort McMurray were suddenly evacuated as a massive wildfire threatened their homes and businesses, the premier and the media were allowed inside the city for a closer look at the damage caused by the fire.

During the tour, Fort McMurray Fire Chief Darby Allen told reporters on the bus that he estimates about 85 percent of structures, including houses and businesses, were still intact – and also said Fort McMurray’s downtown infrastructure remained intact.

“We want to let our citizens know that home is still here and as soon as we can get you back we will,” Allen said Monday.

Officials said about 2,400 structures were damaged by the fire, while nearly 25,000 were not.

According to Alberta Wildfire, the wildfire has grown to more than 200,000 hectares.

The tour came after federal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said officials were starting to switch gears to recovery, even though firefighters were still facing hotspots and “ongoing flare-ups.”

However, Goodale said basic needs would need to be addressed before residents would be allowed back in.

“There’s no power, there’s no gas, there’s no potable water supply, there’s dangerous, hazardous material all over the place,” Goodale said Monday.

“It’s going to take a careful, thoughtful effort to get that community back into habitable condition.

“This beast is so big we need rain to fix it,” Goodale continued.

After days of high temperatures and high winds hampering firefighting efforts, crews got a bit of a break when temperatures dropped, and brief rain showers passed through the area Sunday.

Meanwhile, the strong winds helped push the fire away from the city, helping it creep closer to the Saskatchewan border.

Despite the change in weather, officials estimate it could take several months for crews to put the fire out completely.

More than 500 firefighters have been battling the blaze, with crews from several provinces contributing crews and equipment.

On Tuesday, Premier Rachel Notley is expected to meet with oil industry leaders to discuss the fire’s impact on oil production – a number of producers have shut down operations in the area since the fire broke out. Officials said production has been cut in half.

With files from CTVNews.ca and The Canadian Press