VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — A wildfire that drove thousands of residents from their homes in Western Canada’s tar sands center of Fort McMurray earlier this month is now under control, Alberta officials said Wednesday.
Alberta conservationists said the fire is less than six kilometers from the community and about 190 square kilometers in size.
About 6,600 residents in four neighborhoods were forced to leave their homes for several days as heavy winds fanned flames close to the community.
The rest of the residents of the city of 68,000 were told they may have to leave at short notice. Those told to leave were able to return days later.
The cause of the fire was still under investigation.
For some, the fire brought back difficult memories of 2016, when wildfires forced a mass evacuation of the city and burned down more than 2,000 homes.
