JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
OZONE DEPLETION JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH DUE TO SIN
ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED) there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE) those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
FORT MCMURRAY FIRE UPDATES
http://www.alberta.ca/emergency.cfm
UPDATE-MAY 06,2016-10:43AM
1,500 OILSANDS WORKERS AND CITIZENS IN ALBERTA WILL BE GOING THREW FORT MCMURRAY TODAY. BUT THEY CAN NOT TURN OFF THE MAIN HIWAY TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE. THEY CAN ONLY TRAVEL THE MAIN HIWAY TO OTHER CITIES IN CALGARY AND EDMONTON. SINCE THE PLACE IN UNDER MARTIAL LAW. THEY MUST GO WERE THEIR TOLD. 25,000 PEOPLE FLEED TO OIL SANDS CAMPS A FEW DAYS AGO. NOW HAVE TO LEAVE THE AREA CONVOY TO OTHER ALBERTA CITIES.OFFICIALS WANT TO MOVE THOUSANDS OF EVACUEES SOUTH TO EDMONTON AND CALGARY CITIES. THERE SAYING THE WILDFIRE IS BURNING SO HOT THAT ONLY A HEAVY DOSE OF RAIN CAN PUT IT OUT. THERE CALLING THIS FIRE THE BEAST. AND ITS SO FIERCE ITS MAKING ITS OWN WEATHER PATTERNS. BOLD CENTER AN EVACUEE REFUGE IS SERVICING 3,600 EVACUEES. AND THEY HAVE INSURANCE REPRESENTATIVES ON SITE TO FILL OUT APPLICATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR HOUSES AND EVERYTHING ELSE FROM THIS WILDFIRE IN FORT MCMURRAY AND AREA. 2 DAYS AGO THE FIRE COVERED 10,000 HECTARES. YESTERDAY THE FIRE GREW TO 85,000 HECTARES BURNED. AND TODAY AS OF CURRENTLY-100,000 HECTARES HAVE BEEN BURNED TO THE GROUND OR 1,000 SQUARE KILOMETERS BURNED. AND NO RELIEF IN SIGHT UNTIL THE RAIN COMES.
-Jason Franson/The Canadian Press-A convoy of evacuees has left the Fort McMurray area while officials
keep up the fight against wildfires that have destroyed significant
parts of the city.
Convoy of evacuees begins long drive from Fort McMurray fire zone-Mass airlift of fire evacuees also expected to resume Friday morning, one day after 8,000 moved out.-TORONTO MTRO By: Staff The Associated Press Published on Fri May 06 2016
FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. — A convoy of evacuees began the long drive out of work camps north of the fire-ravaged Fort McMurray area Friday morning.Meanwhile, a mass airlift of evacuees was expected to resume, a day after 8,000 people were flown out.In all, more than 80,000 people have left Fort McMurray, in the heart of Canada's oil sands, and officials say no deaths or injuries related to the fire have been reported.Crews battling the fire got a little help with temperatures forecast to fall overnight to 16C (61F) from the low 30s.The Alberta provincial government, which declared a state of emergency, said more than 1,100 firefighters, 145 helicopters, 138 pieces of heavy equipment and 22 air tankers were fighting the fire, but Chad Morrison, Alberta's manager of wildfire prevention, said rain is needed."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."Environment Canada forecast a 40 per cent chance of showers in the area on Saturday.About 25,000 evacuees moved north in the hours after Tuesday's mandatory evacuation, where oil sands work camps that usually house employees were used to house evacuees. But the bulk of the more than 80,000 evacuees fled south to Edmonton and elsewhere, and officials are moving everyone south where they can get better support services.Some 8,000 evacuees had been flown to Edmonton and Calgary by Thursday night. It appeared the highway was safe enough on Friday to move thousands more south on the highway. It was not safe Thursday.Officials said a military helicopter would lead the evacuation convoy on Friday morning to make sure the highway is safe. The convoy will pass through Fort McMurray where the fire has torched 1,600 homes and other buildings.The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is escorting 50 vehicles at a time, south through the city itself on Highway 63 at a distance of about 20 kilometres south and then releasing the convoy. At that point another convoy of 50 cars will begin.All intersections along the convoy route have been blocked off and evacuees are not being allowed back to check on their homes in Fort McMurray.It's hoped that all the vehicles can get out of the area Friday, if the weather, fire and road conditions co-operate , said Sgt. John Spaans, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesman.Fort McMurray is surrounded by wilderness, and there are essentially only two ways out via road.Aided by high winds, scorching heat and low humidity, the fire grew from 75 square kilometres (29 square miles) Tuesday to 100 square kilometres (39 square miles) on Wednesday, but by Thursday it was almost nine times that — at 850 square kilometres (330 square miles). That's an area roughly the size of Calgary, Alberta's largest city.Unseasonably hot temperatures combined with dry conditions have transformed the boreal forest in much of Alberta into a tinder box. Morrison said the cause of the fire hasn't been determined, but he said it started in a remote forested area and could have been ignited by lightning.The region has the third-largest reserves of oil in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.___Associated Press writer Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.
Crews scramble as Fort McMurray fire explodes in size, continues to threaten-[The Canadian Press]-John Cotter, The Canadian Press-May 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. - A wildfire that has devastated parts of Fort McMurray has exploded in size, and officials say they are now water bombing the city to keep it from being overwhelmed by flames.Officials could not update the number of structures that have burned — already at 1,600 — saying crews have not had the time."This is an extreme fire event," Chad Morrison of Alberta Forestry told reporters at a briefing in Edmonton on Thursday."Our first priority, obviously, was the community and the homes as well as the critical infrastructure."Morrison said they had 22 water bombers and were bringing in more, including four from Quebec."But let me be clear: air tankers are not going to stop this fire."It (the fire) is going to continue to push through these dry conditions until we actually get some significant rain."The fire, which had been menacing Fort McMurray since the weekend, rode a rapid shift in winds Tuesday afternoon to cut through the city on an east-west axis, cutting the main road and sending 80,000 residents fleeing in polar 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, but by Thursday it was almost nine times that — at 850 square kilometres.The fire remained wrapped around the west and southern edges of the city. If the city was the face of a clock, the fire surrounded it from the number four to 11.Evacuees began their second full day out of their homes. About 25,000 remained in oilfield work camps north of Fort McMurray while the rest had moved south to stay in hotels, campgrounds, with friends, or in designated areas in Edmonton and as far south as Calgary.Premier Rachel Notley said the province was exploring "a broad range of supports" for evacuees and expected to roll out some initial aid plans soon."To those people who have been displaced from their homes I want you to know that we have your back. You will be supported," said Notley.The government said they would begin moving out some of the 25,000 evacuees in the work camps north of Fort McMurray so that they can get more social supports in the south. There is only one road through Fort McMurray, Highway 63, and the fire in the community has cut off those who fled to the north.Scott Long, with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, said they would move out the most vulnerable — about 8,000 or so — by air.After that, gas trucks will be sent north to make sure every car and truck has a full tank before they are led down the highway, through Fort McMurray to the south.Fort McMurray, the oilsands capital, is 435 kilometres northeast of Edmonton with few roads in or out.Officials say there were about 300 firefighters in Fort McMurray, 200 of whom were within the city keeping structures safe.The military is on standby but has not been called in except for helicopter support to rescue stranded residents, 15 of whom were reported to have been helped out on Wednesday.The fire has proven to be as capricious as it has been hellacious, leveraging 70 km/h winds Tuesday 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, like 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.Fire danger has forced the operations centre to bounce around over the last 48 hours, relocating from the city limits to Anzac, south of the city, and then back to Fort McMurray.Officials say they have yet to determine what caused the fire in the first place.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 south of Fort McMurray on Wednesday.Boil water and air advisories are in place for Fort McMurray and the surrounding area.Crews received a small break in the weather Thursday, with temperatures expected to fall to 16C. However, the low humidity and high winds expected to keep the situation fluid and dangerous."I expect this fire to continue to grow," said Morrison.
Wildfire in Alberta now 85,000 hectares in size-[The Canadian Press]-The Associated Press-May 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. - A massive wildfire raging in the Canadian province of Alberta grew to 85,000 hectares (210,035 acres) in size and officials would like to move south about 25,000 evacuees who had previously fled north. More than 80,000 people have emptied Fort McMurray in the heart of Canada's oil sands.The Alberta government said Thursday that more than 1,100 firefighters, 145 helicopters, 138 pieces of heavy equipment and 22 air tankers were fighting a total of 49 wildfires, with seven considered out of control. Chad Morrison with AB Wildfire, manager of wildfire prevention, said the blaze grew rapidly, fueled by gusting winds, and he expected the fire to continue to grow Thursday because of dry conditions but it will be away from the community.Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said she didn't know how much better the evacuation could have been, noting that in 48 hours more than 80,000 people were evacuated from a town that essentially has two roads out of it. Fort McMurray is surrounded by wilderness and is Canada's main oil sands town. The region has the third largest reserves of oil in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.The fire has torched 1,600 homes and other buildings in Fort McMurray. There have been no injuries or death from the fires. The province of Alberta declared a state of emergency."Homes have been destroyed. Neighborhoods have gone up in flames. The footage we've seen of cars racing down highways while fire races on all sides is nothing short of terrifying," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in Parliament on Thursday, calling it "the largest fire evacuation in Alberta's history."Trudeau called on all Canadians "to support our friends and neighbours at this difficult time," saying the federal government will match individual charitable donations to the Red Cross.About 25,000 evacuees moved north in the hours after Tuesday's evacuation, where oil sands work camps were being pressed into service to house people. But the bulk of the more than 80,000 evacuees fled south to Edmonton and elsewhere, and officials said they eventually would like to move everyone south where they have better support for the displaced. Officials are now trying to fly 8,000 evacuees out of the area starting Thursday afternoon and are hoping the highway becomes safe enough to move people that way."Our focus right now is on getting those people south as quickly as possible," Notley said.Government officials said energy companies in the area were prepared to use their planes in an airlift and a military aircraft was on standby.Unseasonably hot temperatures combined with dry conditions have transformed the boreal forest in much of Alberta into a tinder box. Morrison said they are investigating the cause of the fire but he said it started in a remote forested area and said it could have been lightning.This fire is driving one of the largest evacuations in North America in recent memory, said Bill Stewart, co-director of the University of California's Center for Fire Research and Outreach at the University of California, Berkeley.With few exceptions in the United States, an entire town hasn't been threatened on this scale for over 100 years, he said, noting rather that devastation has struck neighbourhoods and smaller communities in California.There is no stopping the advance of a fire such as the wind-driven flames in Alberta, which is spreading embers well beyond fire lines, Stewart said. He noted that the aggressive fire is also unusual for burning so early in the warm season and so far north."You could add five times the number of firefighters, but you can't get all the embers," he said. "There's no way to put out every ember flying over firefighters' heads."Officials said the emergency operations centre relocated back to Fort McMurray on Thursday after moving to Lac La Biche, Alberta — about 175 miles (280 kilometres) to the south following an evacuation.The fire has dealt a blow to the region's crude production, with companies curtailing production or stopping it altogether. Nexen shut down its Long Lake facility, just south of Anzac, to ensure the safety of staff in the event that the fire reaches the site.Shell said it has shut down production at its Shell Albian Sands mining operations— about 60 miles (95 kilometres) north of Fort McMurray — so it can focus on getting families out of the region. Suncor, the largest oil sands operator, said it is reducing production at its regional facility about 15 miles(25 kilometres) north of thecity. Syncrude also reduced the number of people working at its Mildred Lake mine.Notley said the infrastructure for oil and gas production remains largely unaffected. What's slowing down production is that their employees are not there, she said."As things stand now the industry will be well positioned to ramp back up once the fire is under control," Notley said. "It will depend on how long it takes for people to be able to return to work in and around Fort McMurray."The airport only suffered minor damage because of the "herculean'" efforts of firefighters, said Scott Long of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency. Firefighters have focused on protecting key infrastructure like the water treatment plant, the hospital and the airport.Morrison said four air tankers from Quebec will arrive Thursday and 100 firefighters are arriving from Ontario.___Associated Press writer Rob Gillies in Toronto and Scott Smith in Fresno, California, contributed to this report.
Economic fallout of Alberta wildfire could spread beyond closed oil operations-[The Canadian Press]-Andy Blatchford, The Canadian Press-May 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
OTTAWA - The oil-production shutdowns caused by the huge Alberta wildfire pack plenty of potential for broader consequences across the entire Canadian economy, experts say.The growing emergency near Fort McMurray has forced several oil companies in the area to shutter operations that, combined, produce hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude each day.In the past, the effects of sudden shutdowns in the economically crucial industry have echoed beyond the oilpatch, BMO senior economist Robert Kavcic said Thursday.Kavcic noted how the real gross domestic product in Canada's energy sector fell 4.2 per cent in May 2011 after an Alberta wildfire roared through the community of Slave Lake."That was big enough to pull Canadian growth down into negative territory temporarily, at least, for one month," he said.At the time, Statistics Canada highlighted the mining, oil and gas sector as the "main source" behind the overall real GDP decline in May 2011.For the second quarter of 2011, Statistics Canada once again pointed to the wildfires, along with maintenance shutdowns, as a contributing factor to the headline real GDP figure for Canada, which contracted by 0.1 per cent.A decrease of 3.6 per cent in real GDP that quarter in oil and gas extraction contributed to the reversal, Statistics Canada said at the time.This time around, experts are still trying to get a handle on the spreading wildfire near Fort McMurray."Analysts frankly don't know the magnitude of potential production cuts or the duration," said a research note sent to clients Thursday by Scotiabank economists Derek Holt and Dov Zigler."That this adds a heavy headwind to the economy in Q2 (the second quarter) is increasingly clear."The note also referred to the dismal March trade data released earlier this week. Those trade numbers suggest Canada's second-quarter economic growth could be disappointing thanks to what's shaping up to be a weak hand-off from the tail-end of the first quarter."The shock that is hitting the heart of Canada's energy sector only adds to risk of very little growth in Q2 and risk of contraction," the note said.But even if the economy dips, Kavcic said it could snap back quickly."What you tend to see, though, when stuff like this happens is the destruction obviously is temporary and you see growth bounce back in the following month or the following quarter," he said."And that's precisely what we saw back in 2011."Although it's still early, Kavcic said the size of production cuts this time look to be much bigger."The disruption is so much more severe this time around," he said.Follow @AndyBlatchford on Twitter.
Evacuation alert issued for Mile 80 of Alaska Highway-[CBC]-May 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
The Peace River Regional District has issued an evacuation alert for Mile 80 of the Alaska Highway, in the area of Fort St. John.In a release, the district says there is "potential danger to life and health" due to wildfires burning in the area.Residents with homes in the following areas are being asked to prepare to evacuate, should conditions with the fire change:- North West on the Alaska Highway from Beatton Airport Road to Aitken Creek Road- North on Aitken Creek Road to where it crosses the Blueberry River- East following the Blueberry River to where the Blueberry River crosses the Beatton Airport Road- South along Beatton Airport Road to the Alaska Highway-Updates will be posted on the Peace River Regional District website and Facebook page.
OTHER FORT MCMURRAY FIRE NEWS
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2016/05/1600-plus-structures-burned-in-fort.html
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2016/05/fort-mcmurry-alberta-is-burning-out-of.html
ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED) there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE) those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
FORT MCMURRAY FIRE UPDATES
http://www.alberta.ca/emergency.cfm
UPDATE-MAY 06,2016-10:43AM
1,500 OILSANDS WORKERS AND CITIZENS IN ALBERTA WILL BE GOING THREW FORT MCMURRAY TODAY. BUT THEY CAN NOT TURN OFF THE MAIN HIWAY TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE. THEY CAN ONLY TRAVEL THE MAIN HIWAY TO OTHER CITIES IN CALGARY AND EDMONTON. SINCE THE PLACE IN UNDER MARTIAL LAW. THEY MUST GO WERE THEIR TOLD. 25,000 PEOPLE FLEED TO OIL SANDS CAMPS A FEW DAYS AGO. NOW HAVE TO LEAVE THE AREA CONVOY TO OTHER ALBERTA CITIES.OFFICIALS WANT TO MOVE THOUSANDS OF EVACUEES SOUTH TO EDMONTON AND CALGARY CITIES. THERE SAYING THE WILDFIRE IS BURNING SO HOT THAT ONLY A HEAVY DOSE OF RAIN CAN PUT IT OUT. THERE CALLING THIS FIRE THE BEAST. AND ITS SO FIERCE ITS MAKING ITS OWN WEATHER PATTERNS. BOLD CENTER AN EVACUEE REFUGE IS SERVICING 3,600 EVACUEES. AND THEY HAVE INSURANCE REPRESENTATIVES ON SITE TO FILL OUT APPLICATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR HOUSES AND EVERYTHING ELSE FROM THIS WILDFIRE IN FORT MCMURRAY AND AREA. 2 DAYS AGO THE FIRE COVERED 10,000 HECTARES. YESTERDAY THE FIRE GREW TO 85,000 HECTARES BURNED. AND TODAY AS OF CURRENTLY-100,000 HECTARES HAVE BEEN BURNED TO THE GROUND OR 1,000 SQUARE KILOMETERS BURNED. AND NO RELIEF IN SIGHT UNTIL THE RAIN COMES.
-Jason Franson/The Canadian Press-A convoy of evacuees has left the Fort McMurray area while officials
keep up the fight against wildfires that have destroyed significant
parts of the city.FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. — A convoy of evacuees began the long drive out of work camps north of the fire-ravaged Fort McMurray area Friday morning.Meanwhile, a mass airlift of evacuees was expected to resume, a day after 8,000 people were flown out.In all, more than 80,000 people have left Fort McMurray, in the heart of Canada's oil sands, and officials say no deaths or injuries related to the fire have been reported.Crews battling the fire got a little help with temperatures forecast to fall overnight to 16C (61F) from the low 30s.The Alberta provincial government, which declared a state of emergency, said more than 1,100 firefighters, 145 helicopters, 138 pieces of heavy equipment and 22 air tankers were fighting the fire, but Chad Morrison, Alberta's manager of wildfire prevention, said rain is needed."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."Environment Canada forecast a 40 per cent chance of showers in the area on Saturday.About 25,000 evacuees moved north in the hours after Tuesday's mandatory evacuation, where oil sands work camps that usually house employees were used to house evacuees. But the bulk of the more than 80,000 evacuees fled south to Edmonton and elsewhere, and officials are moving everyone south where they can get better support services.Some 8,000 evacuees had been flown to Edmonton and Calgary by Thursday night. It appeared the highway was safe enough on Friday to move thousands more south on the highway. It was not safe Thursday.Officials said a military helicopter would lead the evacuation convoy on Friday morning to make sure the highway is safe. The convoy will pass through Fort McMurray where the fire has torched 1,600 homes and other buildings.The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is escorting 50 vehicles at a time, south through the city itself on Highway 63 at a distance of about 20 kilometres south and then releasing the convoy. At that point another convoy of 50 cars will begin.All intersections along the convoy route have been blocked off and evacuees are not being allowed back to check on their homes in Fort McMurray.It's hoped that all the vehicles can get out of the area Friday, if the weather, fire and road conditions co-operate , said Sgt. John Spaans, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesman.Fort McMurray is surrounded by wilderness, and there are essentially only two ways out via road.Aided by high winds, scorching heat and low humidity, the fire grew from 75 square kilometres (29 square miles) Tuesday to 100 square kilometres (39 square miles) on Wednesday, but by Thursday it was almost nine times that — at 850 square kilometres (330 square miles). That's an area roughly the size of Calgary, Alberta's largest city.Unseasonably hot temperatures combined with dry conditions have transformed the boreal forest in much of Alberta into a tinder box. Morrison said the cause of the fire hasn't been determined, but he said it started in a remote forested area and could have been ignited by lightning.The region has the third-largest reserves of oil in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.___Associated Press writer Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.
Crews scramble as Fort McMurray fire explodes in size, continues to threaten-[The Canadian Press]-John Cotter, The Canadian Press-May 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. - A wildfire that has devastated parts of Fort McMurray has exploded in size, and officials say they are now water bombing the city to keep it from being overwhelmed by flames.Officials could not update the number of structures that have burned — already at 1,600 — saying crews have not had the time."This is an extreme fire event," Chad Morrison of Alberta Forestry told reporters at a briefing in Edmonton on Thursday."Our first priority, obviously, was the community and the homes as well as the critical infrastructure."Morrison said they had 22 water bombers and were bringing in more, including four from Quebec."But let me be clear: air tankers are not going to stop this fire."It (the fire) is going to continue to push through these dry conditions until we actually get some significant rain."The fire, which had been menacing Fort McMurray since the weekend, rode a rapid shift in winds Tuesday afternoon to cut through the city on an east-west axis, cutting the main road and sending 80,000 residents fleeing in polar 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, but by Thursday it was almost nine times that — at 850 square kilometres.The fire remained wrapped around the west and southern edges of the city. If the city was the face of a clock, the fire surrounded it from the number four to 11.Evacuees began their second full day out of their homes. About 25,000 remained in oilfield work camps north of Fort McMurray while the rest had moved south to stay in hotels, campgrounds, with friends, or in designated areas in Edmonton and as far south as Calgary.Premier Rachel Notley said the province was exploring "a broad range of supports" for evacuees and expected to roll out some initial aid plans soon."To those people who have been displaced from their homes I want you to know that we have your back. You will be supported," said Notley.The government said they would begin moving out some of the 25,000 evacuees in the work camps north of Fort McMurray so that they can get more social supports in the south. There is only one road through Fort McMurray, Highway 63, and the fire in the community has cut off those who fled to the north.Scott Long, with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, said they would move out the most vulnerable — about 8,000 or so — by air.After that, gas trucks will be sent north to make sure every car and truck has a full tank before they are led down the highway, through Fort McMurray to the south.Fort McMurray, the oilsands capital, is 435 kilometres northeast of Edmonton with few roads in or out.Officials say there were about 300 firefighters in Fort McMurray, 200 of whom were within the city keeping structures safe.The military is on standby but has not been called in except for helicopter support to rescue stranded residents, 15 of whom were reported to have been helped out on Wednesday.The fire has proven to be as capricious as it has been hellacious, leveraging 70 km/h winds Tuesday 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, like 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.Fire danger has forced the operations centre to bounce around over the last 48 hours, relocating from the city limits to Anzac, south of the city, and then back to Fort McMurray.Officials say they have yet to determine what caused the fire in the first place.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 south of Fort McMurray on Wednesday.Boil water and air advisories are in place for Fort McMurray and the surrounding area.Crews received a small break in the weather Thursday, with temperatures expected to fall to 16C. However, the low humidity and high winds expected to keep the situation fluid and dangerous."I expect this fire to continue to grow," said Morrison.
Wildfire in Alberta now 85,000 hectares in size-[The Canadian Press]-The Associated Press-May 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. - A massive wildfire raging in the Canadian province of Alberta grew to 85,000 hectares (210,035 acres) in size and officials would like to move south about 25,000 evacuees who had previously fled north. More than 80,000 people have emptied Fort McMurray in the heart of Canada's oil sands.The Alberta government said Thursday that more than 1,100 firefighters, 145 helicopters, 138 pieces of heavy equipment and 22 air tankers were fighting a total of 49 wildfires, with seven considered out of control. Chad Morrison with AB Wildfire, manager of wildfire prevention, said the blaze grew rapidly, fueled by gusting winds, and he expected the fire to continue to grow Thursday because of dry conditions but it will be away from the community.Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said she didn't know how much better the evacuation could have been, noting that in 48 hours more than 80,000 people were evacuated from a town that essentially has two roads out of it. Fort McMurray is surrounded by wilderness and is Canada's main oil sands town. The region has the third largest reserves of oil in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.The fire has torched 1,600 homes and other buildings in Fort McMurray. There have been no injuries or death from the fires. The province of Alberta declared a state of emergency."Homes have been destroyed. Neighborhoods have gone up in flames. The footage we've seen of cars racing down highways while fire races on all sides is nothing short of terrifying," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in Parliament on Thursday, calling it "the largest fire evacuation in Alberta's history."Trudeau called on all Canadians "to support our friends and neighbours at this difficult time," saying the federal government will match individual charitable donations to the Red Cross.About 25,000 evacuees moved north in the hours after Tuesday's evacuation, where oil sands work camps were being pressed into service to house people. But the bulk of the more than 80,000 evacuees fled south to Edmonton and elsewhere, and officials said they eventually would like to move everyone south where they have better support for the displaced. Officials are now trying to fly 8,000 evacuees out of the area starting Thursday afternoon and are hoping the highway becomes safe enough to move people that way."Our focus right now is on getting those people south as quickly as possible," Notley said.Government officials said energy companies in the area were prepared to use their planes in an airlift and a military aircraft was on standby.Unseasonably hot temperatures combined with dry conditions have transformed the boreal forest in much of Alberta into a tinder box. Morrison said they are investigating the cause of the fire but he said it started in a remote forested area and said it could have been lightning.This fire is driving one of the largest evacuations in North America in recent memory, said Bill Stewart, co-director of the University of California's Center for Fire Research and Outreach at the University of California, Berkeley.With few exceptions in the United States, an entire town hasn't been threatened on this scale for over 100 years, he said, noting rather that devastation has struck neighbourhoods and smaller communities in California.There is no stopping the advance of a fire such as the wind-driven flames in Alberta, which is spreading embers well beyond fire lines, Stewart said. He noted that the aggressive fire is also unusual for burning so early in the warm season and so far north."You could add five times the number of firefighters, but you can't get all the embers," he said. "There's no way to put out every ember flying over firefighters' heads."Officials said the emergency operations centre relocated back to Fort McMurray on Thursday after moving to Lac La Biche, Alberta — about 175 miles (280 kilometres) to the south following an evacuation.The fire has dealt a blow to the region's crude production, with companies curtailing production or stopping it altogether. Nexen shut down its Long Lake facility, just south of Anzac, to ensure the safety of staff in the event that the fire reaches the site.Shell said it has shut down production at its Shell Albian Sands mining operations— about 60 miles (95 kilometres) north of Fort McMurray — so it can focus on getting families out of the region. Suncor, the largest oil sands operator, said it is reducing production at its regional facility about 15 miles(25 kilometres) north of thecity. Syncrude also reduced the number of people working at its Mildred Lake mine.Notley said the infrastructure for oil and gas production remains largely unaffected. What's slowing down production is that their employees are not there, she said."As things stand now the industry will be well positioned to ramp back up once the fire is under control," Notley said. "It will depend on how long it takes for people to be able to return to work in and around Fort McMurray."The airport only suffered minor damage because of the "herculean'" efforts of firefighters, said Scott Long of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency. Firefighters have focused on protecting key infrastructure like the water treatment plant, the hospital and the airport.Morrison said four air tankers from Quebec will arrive Thursday and 100 firefighters are arriving from Ontario.___Associated Press writer Rob Gillies in Toronto and Scott Smith in Fresno, California, contributed to this report.
Economic fallout of Alberta wildfire could spread beyond closed oil operations-[The Canadian Press]-Andy Blatchford, The Canadian Press-May 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
OTTAWA - The oil-production shutdowns caused by the huge Alberta wildfire pack plenty of potential for broader consequences across the entire Canadian economy, experts say.The growing emergency near Fort McMurray has forced several oil companies in the area to shutter operations that, combined, produce hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude each day.In the past, the effects of sudden shutdowns in the economically crucial industry have echoed beyond the oilpatch, BMO senior economist Robert Kavcic said Thursday.Kavcic noted how the real gross domestic product in Canada's energy sector fell 4.2 per cent in May 2011 after an Alberta wildfire roared through the community of Slave Lake."That was big enough to pull Canadian growth down into negative territory temporarily, at least, for one month," he said.At the time, Statistics Canada highlighted the mining, oil and gas sector as the "main source" behind the overall real GDP decline in May 2011.For the second quarter of 2011, Statistics Canada once again pointed to the wildfires, along with maintenance shutdowns, as a contributing factor to the headline real GDP figure for Canada, which contracted by 0.1 per cent.A decrease of 3.6 per cent in real GDP that quarter in oil and gas extraction contributed to the reversal, Statistics Canada said at the time.This time around, experts are still trying to get a handle on the spreading wildfire near Fort McMurray."Analysts frankly don't know the magnitude of potential production cuts or the duration," said a research note sent to clients Thursday by Scotiabank economists Derek Holt and Dov Zigler."That this adds a heavy headwind to the economy in Q2 (the second quarter) is increasingly clear."The note also referred to the dismal March trade data released earlier this week. Those trade numbers suggest Canada's second-quarter economic growth could be disappointing thanks to what's shaping up to be a weak hand-off from the tail-end of the first quarter."The shock that is hitting the heart of Canada's energy sector only adds to risk of very little growth in Q2 and risk of contraction," the note said.But even if the economy dips, Kavcic said it could snap back quickly."What you tend to see, though, when stuff like this happens is the destruction obviously is temporary and you see growth bounce back in the following month or the following quarter," he said."And that's precisely what we saw back in 2011."Although it's still early, Kavcic said the size of production cuts this time look to be much bigger."The disruption is so much more severe this time around," he said.Follow @AndyBlatchford on Twitter.
Evacuation alert issued for Mile 80 of Alaska Highway-[CBC]-May 5, 2016-YAHOONEWS
The Peace River Regional District has issued an evacuation alert for Mile 80 of the Alaska Highway, in the area of Fort St. John.In a release, the district says there is "potential danger to life and health" due to wildfires burning in the area.Residents with homes in the following areas are being asked to prepare to evacuate, should conditions with the fire change:- North West on the Alaska Highway from Beatton Airport Road to Aitken Creek Road- North on Aitken Creek Road to where it crosses the Blueberry River- East following the Blueberry River to where the Blueberry River crosses the Beatton Airport Road- South along Beatton Airport Road to the Alaska Highway-Updates will be posted on the Peace River Regional District website and Facebook page.
OTHER FORT MCMURRAY FIRE NEWS
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2016/05/1600-plus-structures-burned-in-fort.html
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2016/05/fort-mcmurry-alberta-is-burning-out-of.html
