Four Fort McMurray neighbourhoods were ordered to evacuate as a wildfire gets closer to the city.
Alberta Emergency Alert issued the order for Beacon Hill, Abasand, Prairie Creek and Grayling Terrace just after 2 p.m.
All residents must leave by 4 p.m., according to the alert.
The following areas are under evacuation alert: Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek, Gregoire Lake Estates, Fort McMurray First Nation #468, Anzac and Rickards Landing Industrial Park.
In an update on Tuesday afternoon, officials said the fire was out of control, and had continued to move toward the city on Monday and Tuesday.
The fire is about eight kilometres from the Fort McMurray landfill and 13 kilometres from the intersection of highways 63 and 881.
“We’re seeing extreme fire behaviour. Smoke columns are developing and the skies are covered in smoke. Firefighters have been pulled from the fire line for safety reasons,” Josee St-Onge of Alberta Wildfire told reporters. “We continue to work on this wildfire with aerial support helicopters and air tankers are dropping water and retardant on the active edges of the fire.”
St-Onge says wind conditions are not favourable, and officials expect the fire to continue moving toward the city until the winds shift.
More to come…