WILDFIRE - Alberta 2016

Question 1

Background

Answer 1

Date: 1st May 2016 - reached Fort McMurray neighbourhoods 3rd May

Costliest disaster in Canada history

Cause:
12 month drought before the fire
Temp 32°C
45mph wind

Question 2

Social effects

Answer 2

2400 homes burnt down
Water lines and electricity supplies cut off
3 neighbourhoods totally destroyed

Question 3

Economic effects

Answer 3

$9 billion damage done to Fort McMurray
1 million barrels of oil per day not produced (25% of Canada’s production)

Question 4

Environmental effects

Answer 4

High levels of water pollution as heavy rain washed ash and pollutants into water courses
600,000 Ha of land destroyed
Species lost - resetting eco system - long time to recover and new species may replace old ones
Several million tonnes of co2 released

Question 5

Short term responses

Answer 5

90,000 residents evacuated from Fort McMurray
Oil operation shut down and 8000 oil worker evacuated
Satellite and surface reading used to try and predict the fire route
1,100 personnel, 150 helicopters, 140 pieces of heavy equipment and 22 air tankers deployed to fight fire

Question 6

Long term responses

Answer 6

Gov gave $500 - $1250 to families made homeless
Red Cross gave $319 million to help affected
Assessment of forest led to recommendation of 800 Ha removed as a precaution