Alberta Wildfire

• Alberta secondary impacts

  • dry, peaty soils could easily reignite
  • water pollution and fish contamination
  • large disposal of toxic waste such as fish from freezers
  • debates about impacts pf climate change and increased vulnerability
  • rise in global oil prices - lost 1.2 million barrels of oil per day
  • tourism and hospitality suffered as area was avoided
  • thick smoke lowered air quality
  • PTSD, anxiety, depression and financial stress
  • house prices and rent in nearby areas made relocation difficult
  • sense of community affected as some people didn't return
  • 85% of city saved
• Alberta background info

  • May 1st 2016
  • nicknamed the 'beast'
  • burned across Canada's Alberta province
  • ignited in a remote forested area south west of Fort McMurray
• Causes of Alberta 


  • spotting - wind carried burning embers which ignited fires ahead of the fire front
  • favourable environmental conditions - lack of snowfall, warmer temperatures, dry ground, low humidity, dry vegetation
  • El Nino year - warm dry conditions
  • 12 month long drought
• Alberta primary impacts

  • evacuation of 90,000 residents
  • destroyed 2400 homes and businesses
  • no one was killed or injured
  • 600,000 hectares of land burned
  • fire jumped a 1km river
  • lightning ignited additional fires
  • serveral million tonnes of co2 released
  • ash washed into water courses
  • disrupted power supplies
  • $9 billion damage
  • 600 work camp units destroyed
• Alberta short term responses

  • government officials had to oversee evacuation programmes and work with emergency services
  • monitoring of ignited fire using ground satellite data
  • meteorological information forecasted fire's track
  • fire warnings issued
  • government declared state of emergency
  • Canadian armed forces sent helicopters, water bombers and firefighters
  • offers of help from USA, Australia and Russia
• Alberta long term responses


  • government oversaw a phased, safe re-entry
  • reconstruction programmes for buildings services and infrastructure
  • provided $1250 per adult evacuee and $500 per dependent
  • red cross donated $50 million
  • registry created to help evacuees find accommodation
  • Canadian prime minister provided long term aid
  • a benefit concert 'Fire aid' was held to raise money for those affected