Search
 

Oil town evacuated as wildfire curbs Canadian oil sands output

Tens of thousands of people have been forced by the fire to flee Fort McMurray as emergency crews worked to contain the blaze

By Rebecca Penty, Robert Tuttle, Jeremy van Loon | Updated on May 04, 2016
Mining trucks carry loads of oil laden sand at the Albian Sands oils sands project in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, on Friday, August 5, 2005. (AP Photo/Jeff McIntosh)

(Bloomberg) – Suncor Energy Inc. and Royal Dutch Shell Plc reduced their production in the heart of Canada’s main oil-sands region and converted their work camps into shelters to aid fleeing residents of a wildfire that’s racing across Alberta.

Tens of thousands of people have been forced by the fire to flee Fort McMurray as emergency crews worked to contain the blaze, which has destroyed 30 square kilometers (12 square miles), CBC News reported. Residents fled north to where most of the nearby oil sands sites are located to company worker camps. Shell said Wednesday it shut its 255,000 barrel-a-day Albian Sands oil sands mine to deal with evacuating workers after Suncor said Tuesday it was reducing output at its facilities in the region to allow workers and their families to get to safety.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free
PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader.

INCLUDED IN A DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP:

  • All PropertyCasualty360.com news coverage, best practices, and in-depth analysis.
  • Educational webcasts, resources from industry leaders, and informative newsletters.
  • Other award-winning websites including BenefitsPRO.com and ThinkAdvisor.com.

Already have an account?

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Recommended Stories

PropertyCasualty360

Join PropertyCasualty360

Don’t miss crucial news and insights you need to make informed decisions for your P&C insurance business. Join PropertyCasualty360.com now!

  • Unlimited access to PropertyCasualty360.com - your roadmap to thriving in a disrupted environment
  • Access to other award-winning ALM websites including BenefitsPRO.com, ThinkAdvisor.com and Law.com
  • Exclusive discounts on PropertyCasualty360, National Underwriter, Claims and ALM events

Already have an account? Sign In Now
Join PropertyCasualty360

Copyright © 2024 ALM Global, LLC. All Rights Reserved.