Weather & Science
Fire Threat to Canada’s Oil-Sands Eases as Rains Approach
- Evacuation order remains for British Columbia’s Fort Nelson
- Widespread dryness carries potential of another smoky summer
Rain in the heart of the Canadian oil-sands region is reducing the threat of a wildfire that prompted an evacuation alert on Friday, while a town near British Columbia’s gas-producing region remained in danger.
Showers expected on Monday may help contain a 6,600-hectare (16,300-acre) blaze near Fort McMurray, Alberta, according to provincial wildfire spokeswoman Melissa Story. The fire prompted an alert on Friday that put the 70,000 residents of the city — the largest near Canada’s oil-sands operations — on notice that they should be ready to leave if necessary.