Northern Alberta wildfires: No gas for 630km

[Kniwt]

It's not permanent, but at least for today, it's probably the record for longest stretch of highway without services in North America.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/no-gas-hay-river-to-red-earth-creek-1.5143825

As a wildfire continues to rage in northern Alberta, the Northwest Territories government is warning drivers heading south of Hay River, N.W.T. toward Alberta to bring enough fuel for more than 600 kilometres of travel.

Greg Whitlock, a regional superintendent with the Department of Infrastructure, said Tuesday morning that there is currently no reliable place to fill up on gas between Hay River, N.W.T. and Red Earth Creek, Alta., a hamlet off Highway 88, about 630 km south of Hay River.

As of late Tuesday afternoon, two small gas stations – The Bushe Store just east of High Level and Winks Convenience and Gas in Fort Vermilion, Alta. – say they are operating on backup generators and have gas.

[Chris]

It's an 80,000 hectare fire according to Alberta Wildfire: https://wildfire.alberta.ca/wildfire-status/status-map.aspx

That's a pretty serious fire, I hope it doesn't resemble the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire. The town of High Level has been evacuated, it's one of the few larger towns along Highway 35 in Northern Alberta. That's probably the reason why you can't get gasoline in that area.

[dmuzika]

Ironically Indian Cabins, AB and Enterprise, NT used to sell fuel until earlier this year; https://cabinradio.ca/13004/news/indian-cabins-joins-enterprise-in-no-longer-selling-gas/.

[Chris]

Highway 35 is now also closed north of High Level to the N.T. border due to another wildfire. So travel from Edmonton to the Northwest Territories is only possible via British Columbia, a 500 kilometer detour via the Liard Highway.

[Beltway]

It's an 80,000 hectare fire according to Alberta Wildfire: https://wildfire.alberta.ca/wildfire-status/status-map.aspx

I see that 80,000 hectares is 800 square kilometers, and 309 square miles.

[Chris]

The latest report is that it is now a 150,000 hectare wildfire. That's pretty big for a single wildfire. Most of it is in remote and unpopulated boreal forest and muskeg areas though, which is probably why it hasn't received as much attention as the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire. So far they managed to keep it away from the town of High Level.

[Chris]

The wildfire situation has worsened significantly yesterday.

The wildfire near High Level has grown to 230,000 hectares (888 sq. mi), it was reported to travel south 23 meters per minute, or 30 kilometers in 16 hours. It has crossed Highway 35 south of High Level and jumped the Peace River to the east.

There is another very large wildfire closer to Slave Lake, there are in fact two wildfires that are merging together, they are 134,000 and 46,000 hectares each. This wildfire is still some distance east of Highway 88. However communities near Highway 88 have been given evacuation alerts. The town of Slave Lake burned down in 2011.

According to 511 Alberta, Highway 35 is closed north of Manning to the N.W.T. border, which is a 400 kilometer stretch. Highway 58 is also closed west of High Level, which means some western communities like Rainbow Lake cannot get out by road.

CN Rail also reported a rail bridge burned down at another fire near Steen River, which is near the N.W.T. border.

[cbeach40]

CN Rail also reported a rail bridge burned down at another fire near Steen River, which is near the N.W.T. border.

Are they actually going to stop running trains across it though? With CN you never know.