Wildfires continue to rip through Alberta
Posted May 18, 2011 12:04 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Over 1,400 fire fighters continue to struggle with 87 wildfires raging across Alberta.
Twenty-three of them are listed as out of control, including one spanning a massive area north of Fort Mcmurray.
The fire covers 110 hectares in the Richarson Backcountry and wildfire information officer Rob Harris tells 660News it’s larger than they originally thought.
“The growth isn’t what we’ve seen in the last couple of days,” he says. ” The reason that the numbers have increased on a number of these fires is that the smoke has started to clear. Fire fighters have been able to go in, do some better and more accurate mapping of these fires to get a better number on just how big they are.”
The blaze is leaving a path of destruction as it tears up the landscape, but Harris says it isn’t threatening any people or properties at this time.
Fires continue to rage around Slave Lake, one-third of which has been razed by flames, left in ash and ruin.
Entire streets are flattened, all that’s left are the roadways, and fire can be seen peaking through the trees, smoke hovering above the town.
Harris says crews have been able to hold off the flames since yesterday and authorities have now re-opened portions of highways near Slave Lake, including the Old Smith Highway from Smith to Tollenaar Bridget and Highway 754 west of Highway 88 to Marten Beach.
All roads into Slave Lake itself remain closed.
