'Ready to go': Fort McMurray residents prepared for evacuation as crews battle nearby wildfire
CTV
An evacuation alert remains in place in the Fort McMurray area on Monday afternoon.
An evacuation alert remains in place in the Fort McMurray area on Monday afternoon.
Residents of Saprae Creek Estates, Gregoire Lake Estates, Fort McMurray First Nation #468, Anzac and Rickards Landing Industrial Park were told to be prepared to leave because of a wildfire burning out of control nearby.
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo says the fire, dubbed MWF-017, remains about 16 kilometres southwest of Fort McMurray, and was 6,575 hectares in size as of Sunday.
Officials say light showers and winds in the area on Monday morning were favourable for firefighters to continue making progress on the fire.
Crews are using heavy equipment to establish a fire guard on the northeast side of the fire, and six crews of firefighters are working on a containment line.
One woman who lost her home in the 2016 wildfire in Fort McMurray says she's ready to leave if an evacuation order is issued.
"Last time we weren't [prepared]. My husband didn't even believe me," Courtney Sweeney told CTV News Edmonton on Monday.
