TORONTO (Reuters) – An evacuation alert has been issued for Fort McMurray, Alberta, as an out-of-control fire rages southwest of the Canadian oil town, making it among the first actions ahead of the wildfire season.
In a notice late on Friday night, the Alberta government said the wildfire danger is “extreme” in the Fort McMurray Forest Area.
It said strong winds are expected on Saturday, as a cold front continues to pass over the region.
Residents in Saprea Creek Estates are also placed on alert from the municipality of Wood Buffalo.
In 2016, a wildfire in Fort McMurray forced the evacuation of 90,000 residents and shut in more than a million barrels per day of oil output.
The federal government has warned Canada risks another “catastrophic” wildfire season as it forecasted higher-than-normal spring and summer temperatures across much of the country, boosted by El Nino weather conditions.
Last year Canada endured its worst-ever fire season, with more than 6,600 blazes burning 15 million hectares (37 million acres), an area roughly seven times the annual average. Eight firefighters died and 230,000 people were evacuated from their homes.
(Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Toronto; editing by Diane Craft)
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