Case study: The Alberta wildfire, Canada (2016)

'The Beast'

In which month did the 2016 Alberta wildfire occur?

May 2016

What is the Alberta wildfire nicknamed?

‘The Beast’

What were the causes of and contributory factors to the Alberta wildfire?

• the precise cause remains unknown

• climate scientists linked the fire to a strong El Niño effect

• the fire ignited in a forested area south-west of Fort McMurray

• a shift in the wind direction took the blaze into the outskirts of Fort McMurray

• wind-carried burning embers ignited fires well ahead of the fire front 

• a lack of winter snowfall

• an early spring snowmelt

• above average temperatures

• ideal dry conditions 

• the intensity of the fire created strong winds and lightning, which ignited additional fires in the area

What were some of the social impacts of the Alberta wildfire?

• 90,000 people forced to flee Fort McMurray 

• 2,400 homes and other buildings burned down in Fort McMurray

• jobs affected

• livelihoods affected

• movement in the area was restricted 

• increased levels of anxiety about the future

• power supplies disrupted

• water supplies contaminated

What were some of the economic impacts of the Alberta wildfire?

• estimated CAN$9 billion of damage inflicted upon Fort McMurray

• estimated CAN$1 billion cost for the nearby oil sands industry

• Shell Canada temporarily shut down its Albian Sands mining operation

• around ⅓ of the 25,000 nearby oil sands workers had to be evacuated from work camps

• 600 work camp units destroyed

• transport seriously affected

• nearby international airport affected

What were some of the environmental impacts of the Alberta wildfire?

• severely affected the forest ecosystem

• scorched soil

• risk of re-ignition of the scorched peaty soils

• burned tree roots

• toxins released from burning trees and buildings, creating air pollution

• several million tonnes of carbon dioxide released 

• water pollution from ash washed into water courses

What were some of the political impacts of the Alberta wildfire?

• stimulated political debate about the possible impacts of climate change

• government liased with emergency services in implementing evacuation programmes

• the Alberta government implemented a programme of phased and safe re-entry

• coordination of reconstruction programmes 

What were some of the responses to the Alberta wildfire?

• careful monitoring of newly ignited fire using ground and satellite data

• forecasting the likely track of the fire using meteorological information

• fire warnings issued

• emergency services mobilised

• a well-organised evacuation of Fort McMurray prevented deaths and injuries

• aircraft were used to evacuate some of the oil sands workers

• the Alberta government declared a state of emergency

• support from the Canadian armed forces

• the Alberta government provided evacuees with CAN$1,250 per adult to help cover living expenses

• the Canadian government pledged long-term aid to support the rebuilding process

• a benefit concert, ‘Fire Aid’, raised money for those affected