Thousands of workers affected by mandatory evacuation order north of Fort McMurray

Courtesy: John Marasse

Officials expanded a mandatory evacuation order north on Monday afternoon to include a number of camps located north of Fort McMurray, as the massive wildfire in the area continued to grow.

An Alberta Emergency Alert released just after 4:30 p.m. Monday said the wildfire north of Fort McMurray had been growing in size, and the mandatory evacuation order in place for the city and nearby communities had been expanded to include camps to the north.

The wildfire, according to officials at the municipality, was moving 30 to 40 metres per minute, and was about six kilometres from Tower Road – it was expected the fire would reach Tower Road by just before 6 p.m.

The province confirmed just after 6 p.m. that the fire had breached Tower Road.

Provincial officials said the mandatory evacuation covered four camps on Aostra Road were evacuated, about 500 to 600 people – the camps were being evacuated because the fire could have closed them in. In addition, Syncrude and Suncor are under precautionary evacuation – thousands of people are at those locations, officials said.

Officials with the municipality say about 8,000 people have been affected by the evacuation from the following areas:

The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo said all traffic heading northbound into town – Highway 63 northound is closed, and Highway 881 is also closed.

Syncrude Canada released some information through Twitter – saying Noralta Lodge had been evacuated due to smoke, and the company as relocating workers staying at that facility for their safety.  Buses were taking workers to a safe location.

As for Suncor, officials told CTV News 120 workers were being evacuated, and were heading to camps north of the region – but their Borealis, Millenium and Hudson camps were not being evacuated.

Officials said Fort McKay was not evacuating, neither were people working at the Regional Emergency Operations Centre, Water Treatment Plant and the Fort McMurray Urgent Care Centre.