Out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray grows to 200 hectares Friday night
CTV
The wildfire burning 25 kilometres southwest of the northeastern Alberta city had grown to 200 hectares by 6 p.m.
Crews are battling an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.
The wildfire burning 25 kilometres southwest of the northeastern Alberta city had grown to 200 hectares by 6 p.m. Friday night, quadrupling in size over two hours.
The Fort McMurray Forest Area is under an "extreme" wildfire danger, according to the Alberta Wildfire website. A fire restriction is in place.
Strong winds were expected to last overnight, as a cold front passes over the region, further driving "extreme fire behaviour."
A lack of rain in northern Alberta resulted in a fire ban in the Grande Prairie Forest Area on Thursday, officials said.
"They just didn't get the precipitation," Alberta Wildfire spokesperson Christie Tucker said in the weekly provincial wildfire update Thursday morning in Edmonton.
"We know in the short term this weekend, we are expecting dry conditions, we're expecting warm conditions, we are looking at winds in a couple of areas that could provide additional danger, and so we are increasing our caution for this weekend, particularly in those areas that didn't get as much rain around the Peace and Grande Prairie region," Tucker explained.
