Fort McMurray Wildfire: 80,000 Evacuated Over Out-of-Control Blaze
Alastair Jamieson and Alex Johnson
he entire population of the Canadian oil city of Fort McMurray was evacuated as firefighters battled an out-of-control wildfire that was likely to worsen Wednesday.
There were long lines on highways as 80,000 residents fled the blaze and oil sands work camps were pressed into service as emergency shelters.
"Apocalyptic" and "harrowing" scenes on social media showed vehicles facing thick smoke and raging roadside flames amid the largest evacuation in the province of Alberta's history.
"The city is under a complete mandatory evacuation order," Wood Buffalo municipality spokesman Robin Smith told NBC News early Wednesday, adding that an estimated 80,000 people had left the city.
He added that "20,000 have gone north to the oil sands camps that have opened their doors to house evacuees" while "35,000 residents have traveled south ... stopping for shelter in the communities of Anzac, Lac La Biche and Edmonton."
PHOTOS: Entire City Flees Raging Wildfire in Canada
Smith said those people were being housed in "other industrial camp areas, as well as recreation centers and gymnasiums."
In the Beacon Hill neighborhood, 80 percent of homes have been destroyed, he added.
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