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A wildfire that forced more than 6,600 people from their homes in Fort McMurray continues to grow, threatening a northeastern Alberta community that was ravaged by fire eight years ago.
Four Fort McMurray neighbourhoods — Beacon Hill, Abasand, Prairie Creek and Grayling Terrace — were evacuated Tuesday as a wildfire grew dangerously close.
As of Tuesday evening, the fire had consumed nearly 21,000 hectares of forest, nearly doubling in size in a single day.
Provincial officials, including Premier Danielle Smith, Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen, and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis, will provide an update on the wildfire response in Fort McMurray today at 10:30 a.m.
Emergency and government officials with the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo will provide an additional update at 11:30 a.m.
CBC News will carry the news conferences live online. Watch them here.
The fire spread rapidly Tuesday, fanned by parched conditions, high temperatures and extreme winds that pushed the flames toward the community’s southwestern edge.
Black plumes of smoke funnelled across the sky Tuesday as the wildfire began to consume areas previously burned in 2016, when a wildfire forced the largest evacuation in Alberta history and destroyed thousands of homes and other structures.
It was a familiar scene for many Fort McMurray residents as trucks and cars clogged all roads leading south and firefighters prepared to again defend the city, including many streets destroyed by fire eight years ago.
Outside the evacuation zone, the rest of Fort McMurray, and some surrounding communities in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, remain on evacuation alert — with residents needing to be ready to leave on short notice.
It continues to burn out of control about 7.5 kilometres from the Fort McMurray landfill on the southern outskirts of the community and about 6.5 km from the intersection of highways 63 and 881 — the only highways leading south out of the oilsands hub.
Firefighters have contended with extreme conditions and crews were pulled from the front lines Tuesday due to dangerous conditions, pushing the firefight into the sky.
Helicopters and air tankers continue to fly while crews on the ground build containment lines and set up sprinkler systems to protect homes and businesses under threat.
A favourable change in the weather was expected by Wednesday, including a shift in the winds that would push the fire away from Fort McMurray and Highway 63.
The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation.
Evacuees who require food or accommodation are told to report to a reception centre at the Cold Lake Agriplex, 4608 38th Ave. in Cold Lake.
RV and camping accommodations are available in Lac la Biche, but hotels are already full from an initial flood of evacuees who arrived Tuesday.
The City of Edmonton has set up an evacuee reception centre at Clareview Community Recreation Centre, 3804 139th Ave. The centre will provide food services, clothing, pet day care and health care. The Red Cross will be at the centre to co-ordinate hotel accommodations.
The province will provide financial support for evacuees.
A spokesperson for the Alberta government said Tuesday that just like in previous years, evacuees who are away from home for at least seven days will get $1,250 per adult and $500 per child under 18.
WATCH l Thousands leave their homes as Fort McMurray wildfire threatens:
More than 6,000 residents of Fort McMurray, Alta., headed south to safety as a large, out-of-control wildfire drew closer to their community. Other areas in Fort McMurray remain on evacuation alert and residents need to be ready to leave on short notice.