Le gouvernement albertain a décrété l’état d’urgence, mercredi, en raison de l’immense incendie de forêt qui a déjà ravagé 1600 bâtiments à Fort McMurray, dans le nord de l’Alberta, et forcé les 80 000 résidants à fuir les lieux.
Le brasier destructeur pourrait être la catastrophe naturelle la plus coûteuse au pays pour les assureurs et battre le triste record de la tempête de verglas de 1998 au Québec.
La première ministre de l’Alberta, Rachel Notley, a publié des photos aériennes de l’incendie sur Twitter. «La vue du ciel est déchirante», a-t-elle écrit.
A wildfire moves towards the town of Anzac from Fort McMurray, Alberta., on Wednesday May 4, 2016. Alberta declared a state of emergency Wednesday as crews frantically held back wind-whipped wildfires. Unseasonably hot temperatures combined with dry conditions have transformed the boreal forest in much of Alberta into a tinder box. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Wildfires burn in and around Fort McMurray, Alberta, Wednesday, May 4, 2016. The raging wildfire emptied Canada’s main oil sands city, destroying entire neighborhoods of Fort McMurray, where officials warned Wednesday that all efforts to suppress the fire have failed. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
A helicopter battles a wildfire in Fort McMurray, Alta., on Wednesday May 4, 2016. The wildfire has already torched 1,600 structures in the evacuated oil hub of Fort McMurray and is poised to renew its attack in another day of scorching heat and strong winds.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
Traffic is at a standstill on Highway 63 heading south as residents flee with wildfires burning in and around Fort McMurray, Alta., Wednesday, May 4, 2016.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
An evacuee puts gas in his car on his way out of Fort McMurray, Alberta, as a wildfire burns in the background Wednesday, May 4, 2016. The raging wildfire emptied Canada’s main oil sands city, destroying entire neighborhoods of Fort McMurray, where officials warned Wednesday that all efforts to suppress the fire have failed. (Jason Franson /The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Wildfires burn in and around Fort McMurray, Alberta, Wednesday, May 4, 2016. The raging wildfire emptied Canada’s main oil sands city, destroying entire neighborhoods of Fort McMurray, where officials warned Wednesday that all efforts to suppress the fire have failed. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Evacuees watch the wildfire ne Fort McMurray, Alta., on Wednesday May 4, 2016. The wildfire has already torched 1,600 structures in the evacuated oil hub of Fort McMurray and is poised to renew its attack in another day of scorching heat and strong winds.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
A burned-out truck in the Beacon Hill area of Fort McMurray, Alta. is shown on Wednesday, May 4, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Radio-Canada-Sylvain Bascaron