Fires in Canada
For all my Canadian friends: Be safe. In my prayers. Grey Mountain
Forum Discussion
This is truly a a catastrophe on a human and environmental scale only approaching the level of a direct hit by a hurricane; the difference is that almost the entire city has been destroyed, along with the electric infrastructure, and natural gas feeds to all the houses, businesses, hospital, schools and government offices.
On edit: with the recent Terra Bella initiative satellite imagery available, preliminary assessments are showing that appx 80% of Fort McMurray structures are still standing. Appx 2200 ~~ 2400 buildings have been severely burned or destroyed; these numbers will change as more survey data comes in. The drinking water infrastructure appears to have been saved relatively intact (valiant efforts of employees during the fire). The gas availability to all buildings appears to be severely affected, and fluid situation continues as to gas feed availability to all structures.
Imagine if you will a city about the sized of Fort Collins, CO being nearly completely destroyed by a wildfire. And this thing is not even close to being over-- the wildfire(s) rage on; perhaps for weeks or months.
Quebec just sent over 4 water bombers, and a wildfire ground crew, however, I think a massive and much more comprehensive plan needs to be done (like an army of Canadian, and US firefighters and water bombers to be deployed). The problem seems to be that wildfires are springing up over BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and now, western Ontario. I have access to and monitor the VIIRS geostationary satellite several times a day, and I can' hardly comprehend how this (and other) wildfires are growing, by the hour. I think the damage is now up to 4, 5, or 7 $billion, and with the oil companies shutting down production, and the city destroyed, the unemployment situation is incomprehensible.
See edits above
On edit: with the recent Terra Bella initiative satellite imagery available, preliminary assessments are showing that appx 80% of Fort McMurray structures are still standing. Appx 2200 ~~ 2400 buildings have been severely burned or destroyed; these numbers will change as more survey data comes in. The drinking water infrastructure appears to have been saved relatively intact (valiant efforts of employees during the fire). The gas availability to all buildings appears to be severely affected, and fluid situation continues as to gas feed availability to all structures.
Imagine if you will a city about the sized of Fort Collins, CO being nearly completely destroyed by a wildfire. And this thing is not even close to being over-- the wildfire(s) rage on; perhaps for weeks or months.
Quebec just sent over 4 water bombers, and a wildfire ground crew, however, I think a massive and much more comprehensive plan needs to be done (like an army of Canadian, and US firefighters and water bombers to be deployed). The problem seems to be that wildfires are springing up over BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and now, western Ontario. I have access to and monitor the VIIRS geostationary satellite several times a day, and I can' hardly comprehend how this (and other) wildfires are growing, by the hour. I think the damage is now up to 4, 5, or 7 $billion, and with the oil companies shutting down production, and the city destroyed, the unemployment situation is incomprehensible.
See edits above
