Update (6:00pm):
Firefighting efforts to save the water treatment plant has been successful.
Time for some good news - firefighting efforts to save the water treatment plant have been successful! #ymmfire
— RMWB (@RMWoodBuffalo) May 5, 2016
The province of Alberta has declared a provincial state of emergency as the wildfire continues to rip through Fort McMurray.
During a press conference on Wednedsay afternoon, Municipal Affairs Minister Danielle Larivee gave updates to the current situation in northern Alberta.
“To better support the municipality of Wood Buffalo and the emergency operation in Fort McMurray, the provincial state of emergency will allow us to bring more measures to support those operations to the table,” Larivee said. “The state of emergency will allow us to access resoucerses from outside of the province.”
There are currently 250 firefighters battling the flames that began its assent to Fort McMurray on Tuesday. Larivee confirmed that there are also 12 pieces of heavy equipment and 12 helicopters working on maintaining the fire.
“We are still in the throes of an intense crisis and the fire crews are working around the clock to reduce the threat of the fire to people, homes and infrastructure,” Larivee added.
Mandatory evacuations in the city have over 80,000 people travelling away from the fires. Scott Long with the Alberta Emergency Management said approximately 10,000 evacuees have headed north to oil and gas camps while the rest have gone south.
The first is currently at a size of 7,500 ha with that number expected to be closer to 10,000 ha. by the end of the night. Approximately 1,600 structures have been lost with that number expected to rise as the day goes on.
Larivee also said a fatal crash occurred on a secondary highway used by evacuees, however, it is uncertain if it is associated with the evacuation.
There are still no confirmed deaths or missing persons directly associated with the fire.
Canadians who want to help those affected by the fires are asked to donate directly to the Canadian Red Cross. The Alberta government will be matching donations dollar for dollar. The organization is asking people to give monetary donations rather than items at this time. Reception centres in Edmonton and other areas are not accepting donations at this time and people are directed to the Red Cross instead. People can simply text the word REDCROSS to 30333 to give a $5 donation.
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