Largest Fire Evacuation in Alberta's History underway in Fort McMurray

[Atomic]

Scary stuff.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2677885/mayor-issues-warnings-as-fire-situation-in-fort-mcmurray-intensifies/?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link

Edited May 4, 2016 by Atomic

[Noeller]

Man some of those images... Terrifying. Everyone getting our of town as fast as possible. Some to Lac La Biche, some to wherever they can go. So scary... 

[Fatty Liver]

Wasn't there another N. AB. town that had to evacuated 2 years ago when grass fires raged out of control?

[kelownabomberfan]

1 hour ago, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

Wasn't there another N. AB. town that had to evacuated 2 years ago when grass fires raged out of control?

Slave Lake

[kelownabomberfan]

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

Man some of those images... Terrifying. Everyone getting our of town as fast as possible. Some to Lac La Biche, some to wherever they can go. So scary... 

Reminding me a lot of Kelowna in 2003.

[kelownabomberfan]

 

[Fatty Liver]

Basically what this guy is describing is a fire storm, the worst nightmare imaginable if you live in a heavily forested area.

 

Thoughts on the wildfire situation in Fort McMurray

Just some thoughts from a former AB gov't wildland firefighter...

 

Basically what this guy is describing is a fire storm, the worst nightmare imaginable if you live in a heavily forested area.

Conditions pretty much cannot get worse than this for Alberta. This afternoon, temperatures soared to over 32C, with very low RH values in the mid teens. When the RH is lower than the temperature, we call this "crossover", which aids in intense fire behaviour - especially when the fuel source is tinder dry. When winds are high (this afternoon roughly 20 gusting 40km/h), fire growth occurs rapidly. The peak burning period is typically near 5PM during the warmest time of day when RH is also lowest. A worst case scenario is one like today's, when an out of control wildfire is being fanned by the wind directly toward populated areas.

Wildfires are actioned according to their priority, so those that threaten human life, communities, watersheds and soils, infrastructure, etc get more resources thrown at them accordingly. The trouble is, when you have what we call "Rank 6" fire behaviour in the form of a continuous crown fire (spreading primarily through the upper canopy of a predominantly coniferous forest), with flame lengths several metres high, fire suppression is nearly impossible during the peak burning period. In short, if it seems like not much progress is being made this afternoon, it's because there isn't. Any water or fire retardant must be dropped aerially on the perimeter of the fire to stop its spread since it is too volatile for ground crews to work close to the fire during peak burning conditions. However, with such intense heat, most or all of the water vapourizes before it even reaches the flames. It is truly a desperate feeling knowing you cannot stop such a natural process.

Fire suppression is more effective at night and in the early morning, when temperatures normally cool, winds die down, and RH increases. During the night, while ground crews may be able to get in, all VFR aerial support is grounded. If winds continue to blow through the night, this recovery period may not occur. Tomorrow is forecasted to be roughly a carbon copy of today being hot and windy, with less recovery overnight tonight than we'd hope. Thus, we can expect the extreme fire behaviour to continue, unfortunately. Fire whirls, pyrocumulus clouds in excess of 20000 feet, large flame lengths, and spot fires are all signs of extreme fire behaviour and we have been seeing all of these today. Compared to Slave Lake in 2011, surface winds of 70-90km/h contributed to the rapid rates of spread then. However this year it is hotter and drier overall, and still with moderate winds.

http://stormchaserkyle.blogspot.ca/2016/05/thoughts-on-wildfire-situation-in-fort.html?m=1

Edited May 4, 2016 by Throw Long Bannatyne

[Jacquie]

I can't imagine what the people of Fort McMurray are going through. Hopefully they will get some relief from the weather soon. 

[iso_55]

My thoughts & prayers to the City of Ft McMurray. Be safe. Property & possessions can be replaced but a life can't.

[Logan007]

8 hours ago, kelownabomberfan said:

Reminding me a lot of Kelowna in 2003.

Geez was the one in Kelowna that far back?  I remember the news stories about that when it happened.  It feels like it was only a couple of years ago.

[17to85]

The ****** up part is that there's one way in or out and the fire is all over the southern part so people have to go north and stay in oil field camps cause there's nothing else north. Just unbelievable how bad it's gotten. The girlfriend has family up there and they all got out safely but they figure their houses are probably gone. 

 

Been hot and dry this spring in Alberta, more so than usual so fires aren't a real surprise but man it's hard to think of what the town has already gone through with the industry going to **** and now this. 

[tacklewasher]

2 hours ago, Logan007 said:

Geez was the one in Kelowna that far back?  I remember the news stories about that when it happened.  It feels like it was only a couple of years ago.

We've had a few over the years, but the big one that resulted in 30K people being evacuated was 2003.

Trying to see if I can find a site that lists them over the years.

[tacklewasher]

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelowna

• On 7 May 1992, a forest fire consumed 60 hectares of forest on Mount Boucherie in West Kelowna across Lake Okanagan from Kelowna proper: no homes were damaged, however.
• In August 2003, a nearby wildfire destroyed over 200 homes and forced the temporary evacuation of approx. 30,000 residents.^[7] During the 2003 fire, many trestles of the historic Kettle Valley Railway were destroyed. All the trestles have been rebuilt to look like the originals but using smaller dimension beams.
• In late August 2005, a 30 hectare fire caused multiple evacuations in the Rose Valley subdivision across the lake in West Kelowna.
• In July 2009 wildfires destroyed hundreds of hectares of forest and a number of buildings in West Kelowna; 17,000 residents were evacuated.^[8]
• In July 2009, a 100 hectare fire near Rose Valley resulted in the evacuation of 7,000 people. No structures were lost.
• In July 2009, a 9,200 hectare fire behind Fintry resulted in the evacuation of 2,500 people. No structures were lost.
• On 12 July 2010, a 30 hectare fire in West Kelowna destroyed one home and caused multiple evacuations.
• September 2011, a 40 hectare fire in West Kelowna's Bear Creek Park caused the evacuation of over 500 people.
• In July 2012, a 30 hectare fire caused the evacuation of the small community of Wilson's Landing just North of West Kelowna.
• In September 2012, a late season, 200 hectare fire destroyed 7 buildings and resulted in the evacuation of 1,500 people in the community of Peachland.
• In July 2014, a 340 hectare fire behind the West Kelowna subdivision of Smith Creek caused the evacuation of 3,000 people.
• In August 2014, a 40 hectare fire above Peachland resulted in the evacuation of one home.
• In July 2015, a 55 hectare fire in the Joe Rich area caused the evacuation of over 100 properties.
• In July 2015, a 560 hectare fire near Shelter Cove caused the evacuation of 70 properties.
• In August 2015, a 130 hectare fire burned near Little White mountain just south of Kelowna.

 

This isn't all of them. I distinctly remember one prior to 2003 in the Fintry area not on the list.

[kelownabomberfan]

2 hours ago, Logan007 said:

Geez was the one in Kelowna that far back?  I remember the news stories about that when it happened.  It feels like it was only a couple of years ago.

yup it was 2003.  The exact same conditions - no rain for like 40 days, 40C heat, no humidity, and high winds.  Perfect cocktail for a firestorm.  The one thing I know is that when these firestorms get going there is nothing on earth that can stop them, save for a giant downpour.

[Noeller]

That's the ***** of it... Forecast for AB is mostly hot and sunny with 40kmh winds. Thurs has a 60%chance of showers but that's about it... 

[Fatty Liver]

57 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

The ****** up part is that there's one way in or out and the fire is all over the southern part so people have to go north and stay in oil field camps cause there's nothing else north. Just unbelievable how bad it's gotten. The girlfriend has family up there and they all got out safely but they figure their houses are probably gone. 

 

Been hot and dry this spring in Alberta, more so than usual so fires aren't a real surprise but man it's hard to think of what the town has already gone through with the industry going to **** and now this. 

I think Fort Mac has seen it's high point, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people decide not to rebuild after this.

[kelownabomberfan]

1 hour ago, Throw Long Bannatyne said:

I think Fort Mac has seen it's high point, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people decide not to rebuild after this.

if you are insured then you have no choice but to rebuild.  We found that out here in Kelowna.  The insurance companies don't just hand you a big cheque and say see ya later.  The insurance payment is contingent on rebuilding.  Another thing we found was that you didn't want your house to be saved by the fire department, because then you didn't get any insurance money.  The only people who got paid were the ones whose houses were 100% destroyed.  They ended up with brand new houses, while the slightly damaged houses had to be repaired at owner expense or limited insurance pay-out, to the point where you almost had to rebuild the whole house anyway due to smoke damage.  

Edited May 4, 2016 by kelownabomberfan

[kelownabomberfan]

This sure brought back memories of 2003.

 

Edited May 4, 2016 by kelownabomberfan

[Logan007]

Scary ****.  Wow.

[kelownabomberfan]

 

[Fatty Liver]

19 minutes ago, kelownabomberfan said:

if you are insured then you have no choice but to rebuild.  We found that out here in Kelowna.  The insurance companies don't just hand you a big cheque and say see ya later.  The insurance payment is contingent on rebuilding.

Kelowna will burn again, hopefully people rebuilt with fire-proof technology and didn't clad in vinyl or cedar.  I expect this will be a very bad year for wildfires.

[kelownabomberfan]

one reason to live on the bald prairie I guess.

[kelownabomberfan]

http://www.metcam.navcanada.ca/hb/player.jsp?lang=e&id=29

Here's a camera at the Fort Mac airport (I think, given all of the planes in the foreground).  The Northwest view is the one I am watching.  In the past hour it's gone from almost no smoke to huge plumes starting up.  The wind must be kicking up again, just like yesterday.

[Goalie]

Plus 30 there today. That's not gonna help at all.

It's unfortunate but Mother Nature is a ***** at times, Nothing you can really do about things like this. It's interesting that it's an oil town tho, It's kind of like Mother Nature teaming up with Mother Earth saying you take our OIL, we take your city. 

 

I hope everyone is alright tho, that's the main thing for sure. 

 

It's pretty crazy cuz I'm used to seeing wildfires in places like California pretty much on a yearly basis... Bad  Religion even wrote a song about it but... yeah, pretty shocking to see one this big, close but not that close but definitely closer to home than California. 

Edited May 4, 2016 by Goalie

[Fatty Liver]

1 minute ago, kelownabomberfan said:

one reason to live on the bald prairie I guess.

Not sure, much of the fire-proof innovation comes from Australia, grass fires can be just as destructive, as Slave Lake proved.  Safest place to live is in an igloo in the Antarctic where the only threat is scurvy bitten stragglers from the Scott Expedition scrounging for food.