Wildfire smoke forces Canadian neighborhood's evacuation

The mayor of Fort McMurray, Alberta -- a city in the Canadian oil sands region -- on Monday ordered the evacuation of a neighborhood threatened by wildfires.

By Space War Editorial Team · Editorial process

Published May 1, 2016

The mayor of Fort McMurray, Alberta — a city in the Canadian oil sands region — on Monday ordered the evacuation of a neighborhood threatened by wildfires.

Mayor Melissa Blake declared a state of emergency in the city's Gregoire neighborhood after strong winds blew heavy smoke into the area from forest fires burning 1.2 kilometers (0.75 miles) away, a municipal official told AFP Monday.

Authorities pointed to poor air quality rather than the fire itself as a cause for concern. There are several wildfires currently burning in the province.

Some 500 people were expected to be evacuated to one of three locations in the city of more than 100,000, and then relocated temporarily.

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