Wildfires that blazed through a northern Canadian town forced the evacuation of nearly 7,000 people.
Slave Lake Mayor Karina Pillay-Kinnee said Monday that nearly one-third of the buildings were destroyed after strong winds suddenly turned the flames on the town.
All residents were ordered to leave Sunday afternoon, but evacuation proved difficult as smoke and fast-moving flames blocked some of the highways.
Some residents fled to a town 130 kilometres (80 miles) away. No deaths or injuries have been reported but rescue officials were knocking on doors to ensure that everyone ordered out had gone and no one was left behind.
Alberta Municipal Affairs said 95 percent of the town was empty and only essential or fire-fighting staff remained. Alberta cabinet minister Thomas Lukaszuk said it was the largest single-day displacement of people in the province’s history.
On one street, houses on one side were reduced to black hulks of collapsed timber. On the other, they were still immaculate, the lawns still emerald green. The police station, hospital and school still stood, but the government centre and library were reduced to cinders.
Hundreds of residents were left wondering if their homes had been spared or levelled.
“It’s totally devastating,” Ms. Pillay-Kinnee said. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
Fire crews were fighting to smother a ravaging wildfire that was still out of control nearby.
Reinforcements were on their way from British Columbia and Ontario.
By Monday evening, the fire east of Slave Lake had consumed about 20 square kilometres (7.7 square miles), while the blaze south of the community had burned 150 square kilometres (57.9 square miles).
“We’re homeless. We have no town. We have no town,” Coreen Attilon said from an evacuation centre in Edmonton, 250 kilometres (155 miles) southeast of Slave Lake.
Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach went to Slave Lake to survey the damage.
“This is the worst curve ball nature has thrown at us in recent memory,” Mr. Stelmach said. “In all the years I’ve served in the legislature, this is by far the largest (natural disaster) that has affected so many people.”
The premier said the federal government had already provided cots and blankets for evacuees, as well as generators for health services trailers. He said he spoke to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who told him additional federal resources would be made available if needed.
Evacuation centres were set up in the communities of Westlock, Athabasca and Edmonton, Alberta. A separate gym in Athabasca was set up for pets.
