An out-of-control wildfire destroyed much of one neighborhood in the remote Canadian city of Fort McMurray, Alberta, and badly damaged other areas, the local government said Wednesday. The fire broke out southwest of Fort McMurray Sunday, shifting aggressively with the wind to breach city limits Tuesday. Hot, dry weather has made it difficult for firefighters to bring the blaze under control. A forecast for potential fire intensity showed much of the area at class 6, the highest possible level. Roughly 44,000 people had fled the city by late Tuesday, but evacuations were delayed by gasoline shortages, according to local officials. No injuries or deaths were reported. The regional government said on Twitter early Wednesday that 80 percent of Beacon Hill, a residential area at the south end of town, had been lost. Two other neighborhoods, Abasand and Waterways, were listed as "serious loss." By early Wednesday, Shell had closed one oil sands mine and was in the process of closing another. Alberta Health Services said in a statement that all patients had been successfully evacuated from Fort McMurray's hospital.
