Wildfire forces residents to evacuate Canadian town


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FORT MCMURRAY, Alberta (AP) — The entire population of Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada has been ordered to evacuate from a wildfire that officials say has destroyed whole neighborhoods.

More than 80,000 residents have been ordered to leave as flames continue to make their way into the city.

Highway 63 is the only road out and flames jumped the road, sending people into a panic.

Fire officials say they don't know how many homes have been destroyed, but that the fire is burning in several areas in the city's south end and a mobile home park has been destroyed.

There've been no reports of serious injuries and fire officials say right now the priority is to keep everyone safe.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley (RAY'-chel NAHT'-lee) calls it the biggest evacuation in the history of the province.

Fort McMurray is the heart of Canada's oil sands region, which has the third largest reserves of oil in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

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%@AP Links

310-a-07-(Rachel Notley, Alberta premier, at news conference)-"stop the fire"-Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says more than 80 thousand people have been ordered to evacuate Fort McMurray, as wildfires continue burning their way into the area. COURTESY: CTV ((mandatory on-air credit)) (3 May 2016)

<<CUT *310 (05/03/16)££ 00:07 "stop the fire"

309-a-12-(Rachel Notley, Alberta premier, at news conference)-"safe and secure"-Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says the entire population of Fort McMurray, in Alberta, has been evacuated because of the wildfires. COURTESY: CTV ((mandatory on-air credit)) (3 May 2016)

<<CUT *309 (05/03/16)££ 00:12 "safe and secure"

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