What happened to… Fort McMurray wildfires

On this episode of What happened to…? Erica Vella revisits the 2016 fires in Fort McMurray that forced over 80,000 people to evacuate the Alberta city. In May 2016, tens of thousands of people in Fort McMurray were forced to flee their homes, as a fire burned through surrounding forests and entered the city. Damian...

On this episode of What happened to…? Erica Vella revisits the 2016 fires in Fort McMurray that forced over 80,000 people to evacuate the Alberta city.

In May 2016, tens of thousands of people in Fort McMurray were forced to flee their homes, as a fire burned through surrounding forests and entered the city.

Damian Asher, a veteran firefighter and the captain of the Fort McMurray fire department, said the department had been monitoring the wildfire’s movement.

READ MORE: Short-term exposure to Fort McMurray wildfire smoke affected lungs of RCMP officers: study

“We’ve had lots of forest fires in our area in the past and we work with lots of forest fires in that area. As far as moving into our city, with a forest fire, you never know what’s going to happen,” he said.

“Forestry crews Alberta Forestry were on it. They were putting in their measures to keep the fire at bay and keep the fire located in the area where it was,” he recalled.

“We were prepared for it for where it was; we had discussions of testing all of our skills, making sure our equipment worked, all that sort of stuff,” he said.

Then the fire made its move.