TORONTO (Reuters) -An evacuation warning has been issued for Fort McMurray, Alberta, as an out-of-control fire rages southwest of Canada’s major oil city, making it one of the first actions ahead of wildfire season.
In a message late Friday, the Alberta government said the wildfire danger is “extreme” in the Fort McMurray Forest Area and is out of control covering 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres).
Strong winds are said to be expected on Saturday as a cold front continues to move across the region. Helicopter pilots using night vision equipment monitored the wildfire area at night.
In 2016, a massive forest fire in Fort McMurray forced the evacuation of 90,000 residents, halting oil production of more than a million barrels per day.
Residents of Saprea Creek Estates are also being warned by the City of Wood Buffalo. In British Columbia, the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality has issued an evacuation order for the city of Fort Nelson.
The federal government has warned that Canada is facing another “catastrophic” wildfire season as it forecast higher-than-normal spring and summer temperatures across much of the country, boosted by El Nino weather.
Meeting with fire chiefs in West Kelowna, one of several B.C. communities that had to evacuate thousands of people last summer, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday it was likely to be “a very bad wildfire season.”
“People are worried about what the summer will bring. People are worried about what the future will bring,” he said.
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Last year, Canada endured its worst fire season on record, with more than 6,600 fires burning 15 million hectares, an area roughly seven times the annual average. Eight firefighters were killed and 230,000 people were evacuated from their homes.
