Slave Lake declares state of emergency -- mass evacuations

[coffeeFreak]

This is crazy for so early in the year!

Homes burning down as thousands flee Alberta town following wildfire
SLAVE LAKE, Alta. - Thousands of people are fleeing their homes in a northern Alberta town where an out-of-control wildfire has burned down many homes.
The Town of Slave Lake is urging the community of about 7,000 people to protect themselves by heading for parking lots, beaches or large, green open spaces.
RCMP spokeswoman Doris Stapleton says the town is on fire and many homes have been burned down.
She says no injuries have been reported.
Stapleton says an evacuation is underway and the RCMP have called in all available resources to assist in getting people out.
The town had declared a state of local emergency earlier on Sunday and was taking in evacuees from surrounding communities.
Slave Lake is located about 200 kilometres north of Edmonton.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/hundreds-evacuated-strong-winds-fan-wildfires-northern-alberta-201504168.html

Slave Lake declares state of emergency as wildfires force mass evacuations

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Slave+Lake+declares+state+emergency+wildfires+force+mass+evacuations/4787393/story.html

[Amarow121]

!!!

How is this the first I've heard of it!?

Guess we're all preoccupied with potential flooding.

[Queen K]

Amarow, I was thinking the same thing. A huge news story right under the radar. Too bad waters from Manitoba can't be diverted to Slave Lake. Or our burgeoning flood situation sent up there.

I feel for those people. Don't which is worse, fire or flood damage, but too many people are getting hit hard.

[laurensawyer]

anyone that has family in Slave lake, Alberta, i feel very sad for you. Can't help but notice no news about it but almost half the town has gone up in flames, police station, library, town hall, literally hundreds of buildings and counting. My own parents live there and think both their business and house are gone. Luckily they were out of town for medical reasons but why is there no news coverage on this?

[bottleman]

my aunt and uncle lost their home tonight in slave lake. kinda scary reading the facebook updates from out of there, at one point all exits were cut off so people had to wait in the walmart parking lot while the town was burning. mandatory evac from the whole town now... seems like everyone was able to finally get out.

[Queen K]

Bottleman, I am sorry for your aunt and uncle's loss. It is terrible. I'm going out on a limb here, but I'll bet the big Insurance companies haven't or refuses to, insure people in rural areas up there but the media portrays those folk somehow as irresponsible curs without explaining how they could not get insurance.

[Star Light]

How very sad for your Aunt & Uncle Bottleman & for the many others who lost their homes.

QK, I fail to understand how they could not get insurance, as per the norm msm is only giving a wee bit of the story.

[JLives]

This pic is brutal: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =1&theater

Pretty scary stuff alright. Thankfully there seems to be no serious injuries or loss of life.

[janalta]

I was pretty disgusted with all of the BC news stations last night....not one single word from any of them of the fire situations in AB !!?? More than 50% of a town is gone and it doesn't make the news?
Fires are now spreading south and west....the town of Rocky Mountain House is now in the heart of it as well.

[Phoenix Within]

reports are varied as to the amount of devastation. It's ranging from:

Mayor Karina Pillay-Kinnee confirmed that the town has lost its town hall and radio station, and a "substantial number" of homes and buildings.

to

"The town is gone," one woman told CBC News. "There's nothing left. There's places where there should have been houses, and they're gone. We lost everything."

Heard they're having a hard time flying over the area due to the winds and updrafts caused by the fire.

[Phoenix Within]

Fires are now spreading south and west....the town of Rocky Mountain House is now in the heart of it as well.

There's 70 fires currently burning in AB. Heard from one person commenting on the news reports that supposedly they were evacuating the CNRL Horizon plant north of Ft. Mac.

[grammafreddy]

Pics

http://edmonton.ctv.ca/gallery/html/edm ... oto_0.html

[Libelle]

I know this may be a silly question. But what happens when a gas station is threatened by the fire? As the fire seems to be burning everything.

[cooldude]

This is crazy for so early in the year!

Homes burning down as thousands flee Alberta town following wildfire
SLAVE LAKE, Alta. - Thousands of people are fleeing their homes in a northern Alberta town where an out-of-control wildfire has burned down many homes.
The Town of Slave Lake is urging the community of about 7,000 people to protect themselves by heading for parking lots, beaches or large, green open spaces.
RCMP spokeswoman Doris Stapleton says the town is on fire and many homes have been burned down.
She says no injuries have been reported.
Stapleton says an evacuation is underway and the RCMP have called in all available resources to assist in getting people out.
The town had declared a state of local emergency earlier on Sunday and was taking in evacuees from surrounding communities.
Slave Lake is located about 200 kilometres north of Edmonton.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/hundreds-evacuated-strong-winds-fan-wildfires-northern-alberta-201504168.html

Slave Lake declares state of emergency as wildfires force mass evacuations

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Slave+Lake+declares+state+emergency+wildfires+force+mass+evacuations/4787393/story.html

Actually coffee, it is not uncommon for the north (boreal forests) to combust like this early season. The Black Spruce in conjunction with the foliar dip on the aspen/poplar trees make it ripe for the perfect storm. This is a crucial time for the north in all provinces and territories which will last till late June to early July. Having said that, the threat could extend into the dog days of summer as well. I hope everyone is safe and the crews are doing their best on the ground.

[grammafreddy]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... .htm#62045

Slave Lake is burning to the ground
by Contributed - Story: 62045
May 16, 2011 / 11:09 am

The footage looks like Kelowna fire footage from 2003 except in Slave Lake the whole town maybe lost. Over 120 fire fighters from B.C. are joining Alberta fire fighters to help save what is left of the town.

An evacuation order remains in effect for the 7,000 residents of Slave Lake, after a wildfire has reportedly destroyed about 40 per cent of the town.

Around 8 p.m. Sunday, Slave Lake's town hall caught fire, followed by the library, and the main mall.

The hospital was eventually evacuated, and 29 patients had to be moved to hospitals in neighbouring Westlock, Boyle and Athabasca. One patient was flown to Edmonton.

A state of emergency was declared and residents were told to evacuate town or face being arrested. All residents, with the exception of rescue crews, fled town.

Early Monday morning, officials believed the flames were slowing down as the wind started to die down, but the fire has continued to burn uncontrollably in the east and north sections of town.

Castanet's Kelly Hayes is on his way to Slave Lake to provide coverage of the out of control wild fire.

Edited to fix the quote tags.