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Winds set to press blaze away from Canadian oil city, says wildfire service

Beneficial winds are expected to push a major wildfire away from the Canadian oil sands city of Fort McMurray, officials said on Wednesday, offering some relief less than a day after 6,600 people were ordered to leave.

The fire, which is out of control, advanced overnight and by early morning was just 5.5 km (3.4 miles) away from the city's. landfill, which lies on the south eastern outskirts, compared. with 7.5 km (4.7 miles) late on Tuesday.

Vast dark clouds of choking smoke drifted over the western. province of Alberta, home to Fort McMurray, where conditions are. tinder dry.

We are anticipating the fire to move away from the community. ... these are truly beneficial winds for us, said Christie. Tucker, a spokesperson for the Alberta Wildfire service.

Firefighters are going to be working really hard ... to make. significant progress while we have that reprieve, she informed a. briefing in the Albertan capital Edmonton.

Fort McMurray is the center for Canada's oil sands output. A. substantial wildfire in 2016 required the evacuation of 90,000 citizens,. burned down around 2,400 buildings and shut in more than 1. million barrels daily of output.

Around 6,600 people in 4 southwestern suburban areas closest to. the blaze were informed to leave on Tuesday, and highways out of. the city in the western province of Alberta quickly became clogged.

Nothing can prepare you, stated Fort McMurray resident Aleks. Mortlock, who likewise had to leave in 2016.

Still the very same anxiety, very same things going through your. mind, and this time, I have kids to fret about, he informed the. Canadian Broadcasting Corp. They don't truly understand.

Officials in the Wood Buffalo regional municipality, which. includes Fort McMurray, said individuals who had actually left would not be. able to return until May 21 at the earliest and acknowledged the. pressure this would impose.

There is some trauma in the community, mayor Sandy. Bowman informed a separate rundown in Fort McMurray.

Crews are working to develop a containment line and. helicopters and air tankers will continue to drop water and. retardant on the active edges of the fire. The fire currently. covers 20,940 hectares (81 square miles).

Authorities said night vision-equipped airplane dropped a. overall of around 116,000 gallons (525,000 liters) of water on the. blaze over night.

Although firefighting is mainly the obligation of. the provinces, Ottawa can step in if need be. A spokesperson. for the federal Department of Emergency readiness stated there. had actually up until now been no provincial demands for help.

There are presently 45 active fires in Alberta. Blazes are. also spreading in the north of neighboring British Columbia,. where the village of Fort Nelson was evacuated recently.

(source: Reuters)