Wildfire in Fort McMurray,

Canada 2016

Signature: Culture of foreign speaking peoples II

Professor: Sandoval, Sergio

Student: Schier, Astrid

Grade: 2nd year

Date: 19th, May 2016

 MINISTERIO DE EDUCACION CULTURA CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGIA
UEP N 71 INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DARDO ROCHA
VILLA ANGELA-CHACO

Introduction
Canada is really well known for his natural resources that are part of its awesome environment.
But in last weeks this country, more exactly Fort McMurray, province of Alberta had to lead with a
terrible wildfire which has caused a big damage in those places. The fire has brought serious
consequences in the population of McMurray, and it was registered as one of the largest fires in
the region. During some days it has brushed through the community, destroying around 2,400
houses and buildings forcing the biggest wildfire evacuation in Albertan history.

We decided to consider this recent situation and do this work especially to explain this
phenomenon, to identify the areas affected, the evacuation and the consequences.

1
 MINISTERIO DE EDUCACION CULTURA CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGIA
UEP N 71 INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DARDO ROCHA
VILLA ANGELA-CHACO

Wildfire in Fort McMurray

Fort McMurray is an urban service area in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo in Alberta,
Canada. It is located in northeast Alberta, in the middle of the Athabasca oil sands and surrounded
by boreal forest. It has played a significant role in the development of the national petroleum
industry.

In May 2016, an important wildfire impacted the region causing a great damage throughout the
area. It broke out on Sunday 1st sending thick plumes of smoke over the region and a sudden shift
in winds brought the fire to the citys doorstep on Tuesday.

Forest fire or wildfire in Canada is a natural part of the environment, if it was not for fires, nature
forests would suddenly be susceptible to fire and disease. But it is the largest of the 40 registered
in the province of Alberta; and The New York Times reports scientists said that rising
temperatures, drying trees and earlier melting of snow have contributed to a growing number of
wildfires, burning through what makes up nearly a third of the forest land on the planet.
Kerry Anderson, a fire research scientist with Natural Resources Canada, pointed to the current
El Nio event to explain the extreme fire. A mild winter in Canada saw the fire season start some
four weeks earlier than usual and helped created the tinder dry conditions.

Unseasonably hot temperatures extremely dry conditions

and winds of up to 70km/h (44 mph) helped fuel the fires
spectacular growth to 101,000 hectares, an area more than 10
times the size of Manhattan, and up from just 10,000 hectares
earlier in the week.

The fire that devastated Fort McMurray is continuing to burn

and has merged with another fire further east, growing to some
229,000 hectares (560,000 acres), but it is moving into areas
with no communities.

The huge forest fires plaguing the Canadian southwest area

is out of control after having destroyed 1,570 square kilometers, burning several villages in its
path, including Fort McMurray.

Authorities warned the blaze could double in size, so more than 90,000 people have left
wildfire-ravaged Fort McMurray. Residents were ordered to evacuate on Tuesday after the fires
breached city limits. The most of the people went to the south, where they could better access
support services, but about 25,000 were directed north, spending the past three days stranded in
oil sands work camps. Led by Royal Canadian Mounted Police cruisers and monitored overhead
by helicopters, the convoy took residents through the remains of their city where flames engulfed
neighborhoods and destroyed at least 1,600 homes and other buildings.

2
 MINISTERIO DE EDUCACION CULTURA CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGIA
UEP N 71 INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DARDO ROCHA
VILLA ANGELA-CHACO

Police and military oversaw the procession of hundreds of

cars and a mass airlift of evacuees as flames and smoke
continued to play havoc with efforts to get to safety. About
1,200 vehicles had passed through Fort McMurray by late
afternoon on Friday, despite a one-hour interruption due to
heavy smoke.

Alberta remains in a state of emergency. More than 1,100

firefighters, 145 helicopters, 138 pieces of heavy equipment and
22 air tankers were fighting a total of 49 wildfires across the
province, with seven considered to be raging out of control. As
a consequence people started calling the beast.
Fortunately there were no deaths as a result of fires, but two people died in a car accident
during the evacuation. The authorities announced on Thursday the total evacuation of the city of
100 thousand inhabitants, warning that they can not return to Fort McMurray for a long time, it is
anticipated that damage to stop the fire are considerable.

The consequences that it brought apart from the destruction of whole city, is the economic impact,
because it is a hit to the industry affected by the fall in oil prices. It could also mean a brake on the
economy.

An important thing to know is that live in Canada mean wildfires can happen anywhere.
Although lightning strikes can cause them, but unfortunately most are started by careless human
behavior. Once a wildfire starts it is difficult to control it or prevent it from approaching your
property. So there are many safety tips that people have to consider to minimize potential damage
and injury. For example:

Before the wildfire you should consider to:

Know your risk. Do some research and learn how often wildfires occur in your area. Find
out when there is the greatest risk and take wildfire safety precautions.

Evaluate your surroundings. If you're in an area with a high risk for fire, examine the
landscaping around your house. Move plants or trees that are too close to your house or
burn easily.

Clear dead plants away from your house. Dead grass and plants are easily flammable and
should be cleared at least 50 feet away from your house.

Install smoke alarms in your house. Make sure you test the alarms periodically to ensure
they are working properly.

Put together an emergency kit. Your kit should include first aid supplies, blankets and any
personal items you may need (medications, toiletries, clothing). If you have pets, make sure
they also have adequate supplies.

3
 MINISTERIO DE EDUCACION CULTURA CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGIA
UEP N 71 INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DARDO ROCHA
VILLA ANGELA-CHACO

Decide in advance what you will take with you. Keep personal belongings to a minimum
and only take what you absolutely must have. If you have to leave immediately for safety
reasons leave everything behind.

Create an emergency plan. Planning in advance how you will protect your house and how
you will evacuate if necessary can help minimize injury and damages. Choose a meeting
place away from your home for family members to gather in case you are not together
when a fire happens. Designate a neighbor to evacuate your pets in case you are not able
to get home during a fire.

If a wildfire is approaching:

Prepare to evacuate: listen to emergency channels and know the status of the fire. Put emergency
supplies and must have items in the car so you can evacuate quickly. And evacuate immediately if
told to do so.
Protect your property. If you have time, use a hose to wet down your house, the roof and the
surrounding area. And turn off the gas in the house.

Once the fire starts, there are different ways in which it can be fought. The important thing is to
deprive the fire of its fuel and let it go out by itself. This can be achieved in many ways:

Firelines or firebreaks: with bull dozers and land equipment, firefighters clear a ring around the
fire area and to get rid of all fuel in the fires path. As the fire gets to the ring, it can no longer
spread as there is no fuel in its path.

Firing-out: fire fighters look for a natural edge or boundary, such as a road, stream or plain
field, and they do a controlled burn of all the fuel between the barrier and the fire. This means that
before the fire gets there, it would have already burned out.

Aircrafts: Special aircrafts call air tankers fly over the fire and dump water, fire retardant and
and chemicals on the fire.

Firemen: trained firefighters are key to fighting fires. They get into gear (wear oxygen masks,
appropriate fire-proof clothing) and carry important tools on them to fight fires. One good fireproof
material used in their clothing is called Nomex. Sometimes they also carry fire shelters if they get
close to fires. There are special tents protect them from extreme heat incase they are trapped by
the fires.

Technology: these days, satellites, computers, aircrafts and digital equipment are used to
monitor fires, forecast wind directions and create instant and effective maps and information
needed to fight fires. This makes it a lot easier and quicker for firefighters to contain and put out
fires.

4
MINISTERIO DE EDUCACION CULTURA CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGIA
UEP N 71 INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DARDO ROCHA
VILLA ANGELA-CHACO

5
 MINISTERIO DE EDUCACION CULTURA CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGIA
UEP N 71 INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DARDO ROCHA
VILLA ANGELA-CHACO

Conclusion:

After have doing this work, with should consider how this kind of phenomenon affects different
places and peoples life diary around the world. Not only their possessions are lost, but also their
style of life, their costumes and feelings due to they have to change places or they pass through a
very difficult moment.

Nowadays people are suffering the consequences of this recent phenomenon. Firefighters and
people that care the natural resources are fighting against it and the catastrophe it has produced.

We can only think about how fortunate we are, and just pray for that people who can do nothing to
avoid those disasters.

6
 MINISTERIO DE EDUCACION CULTURA CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGIA
UEP N 71 INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DARDO ROCHA
VILLA ANGELA-CHACO

Bibliography:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/36247269

http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/hzd/wldfrs-en.aspx

http://www.wsj.com/articles/canada-wildfire-raises-safety-issues-close-to-home-1463413395

http://diario.mx/Internacional/2016-05-06_222d130b/continuan-evacuaciones-por-incendio-en-
canada/

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/15/alberta-wildfire-the-beast-fort-murray-canada

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Fort_McMurray_wildfire