Alberta seems better prepared to face such threats than it was 8 years ago
Bright red hoses thicker than a thigh snake along the highways near Fort McMurray, studded with cannons that can blast enough water into fire-threatened ditches to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool every 90 minutes.
“We can cover large distances. That frees up traditional mobile resources like fire trucks and helicopters to deal with higher priority areas.” Lloyd Sawatzky also believes the province’s approach has improved. He came from the community of Slave Lake to help direct traffic and conduct checks in the vacated areas at the request of the new Regional Emergency Operations Centre.Jody Butz, the fire chief in charge of the Fort McMurray region, said Wednesday that the highway is open and day-to-day life continues in many parts of the region.
In Beacon Hill, one of the evacuated neighbourhoods, police kept watch under a sky of light haze as a handful of residents returned home briefly to grab vital but forgotten supplies, such as prescription medicines. Nearby, fire crews squirted orange fire-retardant gel on bushes. In Edmonton, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she sympathizes with those who have left, but public safety is paramount. She said those displaced by fire evacuations will be eligible to receive $1,250 per adult and $500 per child after a week.In northeastern British Columbia, a widening area around Fort Nelson, a town of 4,700, remained under evacuation. As of early Wednesday evening, the Parker Lake fire covered some 127.41 square kilometres.
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